Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Randy Strausser To Head Boy Scouts' Drive

Randy Strauser of Prescott was named chairman of this year's Boy Scout fund- raising drive.

Strauser, along with other local businessmen, will raise Prescott's share of the Caddo Area Council's budget. The annual fund-raising effort is conducted to assist the council in providing the necessary support for the Cubing, Scouting, Exploring and Learning Life programs in this area.

According to the council's senior board member, John Teeter of Prescott, the scout's operating budget will come from three primary sources.

The various United Way Agencies in the council's 10-county service area will provide over $50,000 this year, or about 6% of the budget.

Another 75% will come from a variety of sources, such as activities, counter sales and trust fund incomes.

The balance of $170,000 will be raised through Friends of Scouting campaign, Teeter said. These are investments from those with a special interest in scouting.

The cost of scouting has risen along with other business costs over the last few years. Inflation, utilities and the additions at the scout camp have been cited as the most significant increase in the operating budget.

At something like $82 a year per youth, it's still one of the best bargains around in a youth program for the young people of our community, Teeter said.

"The council spends 99% of the money right here in the area, instead of sending it off to some distant home office," he said.

Roughly, 33% is spent in services to nearly 200 troops, packs and posts. Another 15% is used for membership, relationship and re-registration services to the chartered organizations using the scouting programs, and 46% on programs such as summer camp.

"An interesting point for people concerned about how their donation is spent is that only 6% is used for what we call administrative cost," he said.

"This is the cost of such things as accounting, auditing, national quota fees, insurance, postage and social security. I feel like we have a lean, streamline operation set up to provide a maximum of service to our youth with a minimum of cost," Teeter said.

The local campaign, according to Strauser will kickoff February 12. The businessmen conducting this year's drive solicit the help of all citizens of the community to help reach their goal of $4,000.