Best time to be a Scout!
Families today have many options, but only Scouting provides a safe and fun atmosphere where a kid can be a kid all while preparing them to become an even better adult. As we look towards the future of Scouting, the Hoosier Trails Council is committed to providing a safe and cost-effective Scouting experience. Our new fee structure is being implemented out of necessity to support critical safety components of our organization like youth protection resources, criminal background checks, technology upgrades and insurance coverage rates which have risen substantially over the past few years.
The Hoosier Trails Council has worked tirelessly to keep the cost of Scouting as low as possible for our families. Our council is fiscally sound; however, it is crucial that we continuously review our financial structure in order to guarantee the longevity of our local programs. Year after year, our council has subsidized rising core costs – the greatest being insurance coverage – to keep fees as low as possible.
Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to subsidize these costs at past levels. As a result, the Hoosier Trails Council has been forced to make dramatic changes to expenses while also seeing traditional revenue trends change.
In order to return to a position of growth, an annual Program Fee of $60 will be assessed to each youth member, beginning January 1, 2023:
- The $60 program fee will be charged to all youth, not in the Scoutreach or Exploring programs, and will provide consistent monthly revenue for council operations.
- Families that select to pay their BSA Fees for the coming year’s registration via the subscription will have no payments due at recharter time, easing the stress of the recharter process.
What added-value benefits will members receive for this $60 annual investment?
- Free Campsite Rentals – ($30 savings on each rental throughout the year!)
- Free STEM-O-Ree, February 18, 2023 – ($15 Value)
- Merit Badge Day, February 25th – ($10 Value)
- Scout-A-Palooza, April 22, 2023 – ($45) Value
- Free Cub-O-Ree Adventure, May 6, 2023 – ($15 Value)
- Free Shoot-O-Ree, September 16-17 – ($15 Value)
- Free Webelos Challenge, October 7-8 – ($25 Value)
- Free Standard Adult Trainings – ($35-50 Value)
- Safety Net of Accident & Liability Insurance Coverage – (Priceless)
It is our hope that this new fee will be covered through your Scout unit’s following the Ideal Year of Scouting budgeting plan and then selling Scout Popcorn; however, if a family has financial concerns that would prevent them from benefiting from Scouting, we can help with that. Please complete the Individual Registration Assistance Request.
