2023-2024 Cost of Scouting

Summary:

• Small Price Increase Over 2022-2023
• Switching From Pay As You Go To Regular Monthly or Yearly Payments
• Regular Enforcement of Late Payment Policies

Small Price Increase: Due to cost increases from both the national organization and campsites, the following items will be increasing this year:

• National Fees: $175 (as compared to $160 last year)
• Summer Camp: $440 (as compared to $400 last year)
• 179 Dues: $500 (as compared to $450 last year)
• Joining Fees: $100 (as compared to $75 last year)
• We will be keeping monthly campout fees at $45 this year.

Switching From Pay As You Go: For 2023-2024, it will cost a Scout $1,115 to be part of Troop 179. This breaks down to:

• National/Council Membership Fees: $175
• Troop Dues: $500 (which covers the Troops awards and merit badges per Scout, equipment for various campouts, training and administration for the troop, and keeping our campout fees steady)
• Summer Camp: $440 (which covers a full week at camp, all meals, and all programs)

The Troop (as well as many families) has found it challenging to have large lump sums due at various times throughout the year. To this end, we are changing to two different payment options for 2023-2024:

• Option 1: You can pay the $1,115 upfront in September and be covered for the entire year (including summer camp).
• Option 2: We can split the $1,115 over the 10 months of the Scouting year (September-June) and you can be invoiced $111.50 per month.

The only additional fees would be the $45 fee if your Scout chooses to go to a camp out that month (we have kept this as pay as you go since we know not all Scouts will attend all campouts). And you will still be able to earn money towards your Scouts account with fundraisers such as Wreaths and Popcorn (which could cover monthly payments, monthly campouts, or high adventure fees).

Regular enforcement of Late Payment Policies: As the rules around when the Troop owes money to different organizations have become stricter and as the Troop has grown smaller, it has become harder for the Troop to absorb families not paying for campouts and other dues in a timely fashion.

Because of this, for 2023-2024, if you are not in good standing (meaning either caught up with your payments or making good faith payments on a regular basis), your Scout will not be allowed to register for the next campout or any future campouts until your account is rectified. We highly recommend that if you are having trouble making payments that you come talk to Troop Leadership about options so that we can work out something that will allow your Scout to continue to participate while still contributing regularly to the Troop.