What is Friends of Scouting?
Financial support is crucial to provide the facilities, materials, programs, training, activities and Scouting leadership for Moraine Trails Council.
The Friends of Scouting (FOS) annual giving campaign raises a significant portion of the council’s budget from the families of youth who participate in Scouting. You help make all the difference!
How does it work?
The Friends of Scouting (FOS) annual giving campaign is planned, directed and conducted by volunteers – and its success depends on them! Each volunteer team has a professional advisor (usually a district executive) to assist with communication, training and supplies.
Instant recognition for all gifts and pledges is done at a pack or troop meeting for any giving level. The presenter will be responsible for following up with the unit FOS chairman to contact the families that were not at the presentation. They will collect the pledge cards and the contributions and deliver them to the district executive or local council service center.
Critical to Maintaining Camp Bucoco and Launching Summer Programs
The Friends of Scouting Campaign makes up 18 percent of the Council budgeted income. The campaign is broken into sub-campaigns. The largest is the receptions which are the Council business and alumni campaigns. They make up 64% of the campaign. The Executive Board/Staff Campaign males up 20% of the campaign, the District Scouter Campaign makes up 2% of the campaign, and the Family Campaign is 14% of the annual giving.
In addition to the direct program support the campaign funds, the units also receive direct benefits. The accident and insurance coverages, in addition to the Council insurance riders for family events help all families deal with unexpected scout accidents. The Council has maintained a database of unit records since 1998. Unit leaders move on from packs to troops, then out of scouting, but the records are maintained. Scout advancement records and achievements are a part of their profile. The Council operates a Scout Shop to support local scouting.
All Scout Shop proceeds support the program such as advancement process such as Eagle Scout applications, the Council Recognition Dinner for volunteers, and customer service needs. Council staff assist local leaders with the charter renewal process to ensure criminal background checks are kept up to date and required training that prevents child abuse is enforced. Scouting needs the support of everyone, volunteers, parents, staff, and the business community to survive and thrive. Council investment income supports executive staff salaries, litigation fees, and the Preston Environmental Center.
As of today, NO DONATIONS are planned to be used in 2024 for any litigation. Please support the campaign by clicking on the link below to our online giving center or call Sharon Fragale at 724-287-6791 to have a pledge card mailed to you.
