During the first Quarter of each year, Tres Ranchos District units participate in the Friends of Scouting campaign. Friends of Scouting's (FOS) goal is to provide income to the San Francisco Bay Area Council by having each family in every unit be a FOS contributor.
Membership in the Boy Scouts of America during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood plays a major role in shaping character and values and the use of these values in daily life. Take a stand on character, values, and integrity in support of our young people by making a contribution to our Council today. It's the smartest investment you can make, an investment in the greatest asset America has—its children.
The Family FOS contributions provide more than 30% of the income that make things happen in the Council, and more than 86% of the budget results in program support that provides direct service to Scouting units.
SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE COUNCIL DOES FOR THE LEADER AND THE UNIT
| SERVICE CENTER To help the leader with administration of the unit, the council maintains a service center with clerical staff to: 1. Handle registrations. Boy's Life subscriptions and special requests to the national office and other organizations. 2. Maintain a supply of uniforms, literature, badges, insignia, forms, certificates, etc., needed by the leader to carry on the unit's program. 3. Keep records of advancement, membership. training, etc., necessary to unit operation. 4. Produce monthly and special council bulletins to keep leaders informed of latest local and national Scouting news, coming events, etc. 5. Produce notices, minutes, agendas, etc., for district and council committee that are developing programs for leader and unit benefit. 6. Handle phone calls and visitors for information related to unit operation and unit benefit. 7. Provide, without charge, dozens of regular and special forms, applications, certificates, and literature, helpful in unit programs. 8. Produce district and council calendars and schedules, programs, kits, and special aids to assist leaders and their committees. 9. Make reservations for films, equipment, long-term camping, short-term camps, camporees, jamborees, high-adventure bases, training courses, meetings. Cub Scout leader pow- wows, Exploring activities, annual council and district meetings, troop leader and den chief events. PROGRAM Providing the unit with district and council activities and service, the council: 1. Organizes camporees, Cub Scout day camps, jamborees, high-adventure trips, Explorer events, absorbing overhead costs to keep participant's expenses to a minimum. 2. Works with various community groups to arrange for Scout participation in civic affairs and Good Turn Projects. 3. Recruits and trains a corps of commissioners for assisting with unit program and maintaining standards. |
TRAINED STAFF To assist leaders, the council employs a trained, full time staff that councils, guides, and inspires: 1. Through informal training in unit operation. 2. Through person-to-person counseling on unit relationships, administrative, and operational problems. 3. Through guidance of all committees, commissioners, roundtables, meetings, conferences, courses, district and council activities in the development of programs that directly benefit the leaders and unit. 4. Through contacts with the community resources (clubs, churches, governments, etc.), secures help for all units that they alone could not obtain. The use of parks, recreational areas, use of buildings for special affairs, picnic areas, campsites, and swimming facilities are a few examples. TRAINING AND MATERIALS In educational and relationships programs, the council provides the leader with: 1. A library of films, filmstrips, records, projectors, and screens for use in training and promotional programs, at no cost to the unit. 2. Informal and formal training courses with most of the cost of literature and materials, etc., and all the staff time included in the council budget. 3. Monthly roundtables for the benefit of leaders, committee members, assistants, and den leaders, providing materials, staff, and other costs. 4. Scouter's Key, training awards, Den Leader's Training Award, Silver Beaver Award, other Scouter recognition and Eagle badges. 5. A merit badge counselor corps in more than 100 subjects. 6. A variety of advancement forms and certificates without charge. These are processed in the thousands each year. PROTECTION To protect the unit leader, the council: 1. Screens request for services, money-earning project proposals - guarding against improper use of Scouting commercialism and exploitation. 2. Maintain a liability policy for the protection of all leaders. 3. Has staff members available on what is practically an around - the- clock, around - the- calendar basis to meet any emergency. |
SUPPORT MATERIALS To help the leader develop the unit program, the council provides, without charge: 1. Program helps, program planning charts and calendar of activities, meetings, and specials events. 2. Awards such as ribbons, certificates, roundup awards, etc. 3. Roundup, camporee, and Scouting Anniversary Week Kits, posters, and other materials. 4. Sample song sheets, ceremonies, parents' night program outlines, training aids, etc. 5. Source materials and personnel. 6. Materials, books, pamphlets, folders, filmstrips and special help from the National Council and cooperating organizations. CAMPING In the field of camping and outdoor activities, the council: 1. Maintain Scout reservations for year-round camping and Cub Scout family outdoor events. Our Scout reservations serve as year- round activities, camping and training centers. 2. Offers units the use of equipment for short- term, weekend, and year-round camping. 3. Budget covers costs of camp repairs, replacement, utilities, maintenance, taxes, insurance, and camp ranger. These and other charges are not paid for by boy's fees. 4. Employs fall-time camp rangers for protection of the Scout reservations and the convenience of units using the facilities. They keep these facilities available at all times. 5. Provides unit leaders' guidebook, camp slides, folders, literature, and other aids to help units with their outdoor program. 6. Provides scholarships or "camperships" for Scouts who need some help to have a summer time camp experience. 7. Offers units the high adventure of Philmont Scout Ranch, high adventure bases, national jamborees, field days, camporees, and other special events. These would not exist without a council giving leadership and cooperation. |
Click here for information from the SFBAC web site
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