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The Money Deal
Well, I have to put my .02 in here...
Yes, we have had "girl accounts" on paper, and it certainly seems fair, but here is the other perspective....
Perhaps Susie doesn't do a blame thing for cookie sale (her family is sick of sales) while Sandy's MOM sells 400 boxes at her work (Sandy didn't help) and Sharon beat the bushes of her rural neighborhood to sell 25 boxes, since her parents don't have a workplace that allows sales and all her relatives live many states away.
Girl accounts would allot Susie nothing, Sandy $200 (or whatever) and Sharon $12.50 for the big trip...with me so far?
Going on...
Susie's mom helps every week tto set up the meeting room and put every thing away. She also drives to camp and to other troop events. Sandy's mom never helps with a thing. Sharon's mom is the troop cookie sale manager and spent quite a bit of time beating the bushes to get extra cookies, get the money out of your most obnoxious parents, and turn everything in on time...whew!
However, none of these things nets a dime for the troop trip.
Still hanging in there???
Going on....
Susie has volunteered to baby-sit your children while you take age level training and outdoor training. Sharon always turns her
paperwork in on time and always brings her dues without a reminder. She has gone to the Moose lodge and given a talk on
Girl Scouts which netted a huge box of office supplies for troop use.
Okay....
To recap our month of activity, Sandy didn't really do anything but has $200 for the trip. Susie and her mom did quite a bit for the troop and the leader, but Susie has nothing, and Sharon and her mom were pretty helpful as well, and Sharon has $12.50.
We can see through this LOOOONNNGGG example what our council tells us about individual on paper girl accounts. The
contribution to the troop isn't always shown through the bottom line. It is best to say the TROOP needs $1500. for this big trip and lets all figure out how to get it. As leaders, we need to encourage everyone to take part according to their giftedness. Sandy's mom should sell cookies till her brains fall out because it is her gift. Sandy is too shy to even approach someone, but could sure help write thank you notes, send letters asking for donations for the fundraising auction, etc. Susie's family hates product sales but might help more with the car wash, even though it nets less cash they are still working hard.
The goal is for everyone to do something to help the troop, whether it be directly related to the fundraising or not. It should balance out in the end, and the all-for-one mentality is what we are trying to foster. At least that is how it was explained to me.
All that said, I have had individual paper girl accounts and it worked fine. For our last big trip, we used the thermometer and the "all for one" mentality and I think it actually worked better. Some parents recognized on their own that others had done much more monetarily and kicked in some extra money to help the thermometer rise. I might also point out that the total needed for
the trip included the money for the leaders and for gas...our council told us not to pay that out ourselves, but it is a responsibility of the troop. That was very nice and we will continue to do that.
We did ask for a $10.00 deposit from each parent at the very beginning to commit that their daughter was really going to go. The whole trip was $1500 and that was all we had to ask the parents to pay. We also asked each family to devise their own fundraiser in keeping with Safety Wise etc rules, and after it was approved, to run that fundraiser for the troop. That also worked out really well
WHEW! sorry so long!
Columbia River GSC
Cookie Sale Tips
1. Wear your uniform!
2. Write down the house numbers that aren't home and come back. You'd be amazed at how many customers you would have otherwise lost.
3. Don't skip around. Many a time I have seen young scouts running up and down streets, doing here a house there a house...
4. Know your stuff. You should memorize the cookies you sell. A little nervous stuttering is OK, but you should rehearse a little.
5. Write down a list of your largest orders and their phone numbers. If they buy from you every year there is a good chance that you can just call them up do your pitch over the phone. Caution: best only with familiar customers who remember you well.
7. Be active at booth sales. Don't just sit there. My best friend and I once found ourselves singing out "Would you like to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?" and "Thank you anyway!" in unison and have done so ever since.
8. Do something nice for your booth sale spots.
9. Thank people even when they don't buy.
10. If the Postal Service can deliver in rain and other inclement conditions, so can I. (Unless Mom told me I was too sick to go out.)
11. If customers want to chit-chat, go ahead and chit-chat. They will remember you all the better for it.
12. Follow the safety rules!
13. Remember that UNIFORM! Sash or vest too!
14. Be prepared to tell people what your troop plans on doing with the money.
15. Don't all go to the bathroom at once and leave only an adult to man the booth.
16. Remind customers that our cookies freeze well and are only offered once a year!
17. Good luck and don't give up!!!
Nancy Ann
Tres Condados GSC
Car Washes
From: Debbie Freund
- They often hold them at banks in busy shopping areas. They aren't open on Saturdays and usually are very accommodating. I have noticed several at a local Wendy's, which would make sense since people can go in and eat while you wash their cars.
- If you are going to clean interiors, have several vacs - that can hold up the line considerably. Bring extra vacuum bags and LOTS of trash bags. Have separate boxes/bags for recyclables.
- Make sure the girls don't lay their rags, sponges, etc. down on the ground and then use them on the car. She lives at the beach and doing this means sand sticks to the wet rag and then scratches the car's finish when wiped on the car! She had one person who actually tried to take the school system to court demanding a new paint job over a large scratch he claimed they put on the car, but one which the students claimed was there already. The charges were eventually dropped but it was a real nuisance to deal with.
- If you use strong whitewall tire cleaners, make sure to tell the girls it is very harsh and not to get it on their hands or clothes (will fade fabric).
- Remind them to start at the top and work down - she says it is amazing how often they will clean and dry a door and then do the top, which means they have to redo the door since the water runs down...
- Be on the alert for power cords for the vacs and puddles of water- They always move the car to another spot, well away from the water to vacuum the interiors.
- Tell them to be very careful when reaching under seats where they can't see what they are touching. One of her students cut her hand on a broken bottle when she grabbed it and another pulled what she thought was a string but was actually wiring for the power seat adjustment - she literally pulled the wiring out of the connectors and the school group had to pay the repair bill!
- In a crowded shopping center parking lot, etc., watch your $ box carefully. Periodically empty it of large bills so if someone walks off with it, you are not out all your profits (a good plan anytime you hold a fund raiser). She says they usually make more money when they don't charge a set amount, but instead ask for donations.....
- Bring lots of sunscreen! They always get sunburned....
- Station a couple of girls with large signs and helium balloons near the entrance/main road to attract attention and entice people into the car wash.