Fundraising Information

Spirit of Adventure Council > Flintlock District > Pack 735 Reading

For any questions, please email popcornkernel@readingpack735.org and/or fundraising@readingpack735.org

Principle Goal

Paying your own way is a fundamental principle of Scouting. It is one of the reasons why no solicitations, or requests for contributions from individuals or the community, are permitted by units. Young people in Scouting are taught early on that if they want something in life, they need to earn it. This is why local councils have Packs participate in council-sponsored product sales, typically popcorn or other money-earning projects.

Fall Popcorn Fundraiser

Popcorn Fundraiser Kickoff!: Fundraiser Overview

  • Why? Helps kids. Funds activities.
  • Who? Returning Scouts.
  • What? Popcorn and More.
  • When? Fall. Important dates.
  • Where? Storefront (Show & Sell). Online Direct. Wagon Sales.
  • How? Sales guidance.

Why?

Fundraising Helps Kids

Popcorn pays for:

  • campouts, camp upkeep, and adventures
  • rocket launching
  • Pinewood Derby
  • Blue & Gold Banquet
  • patches and awards
  • unit supplies and equipment
  • annual dues, rechartering, and insurance

Incentives for Scouts include:

  • Collecting points to earn Amazon Gift Cards (2022) and having the ability choose the prize the Scout wants.
  • Face Pieing
    • Pieing a Pack leader in the face at the Pietastic & Awards Party held in November.
    • Scouts that reach certain goals get to pie face adult Pack leaders. Scouts that sell greater or equal to $300 will get to pie face a 735 Adult Leader. Who & how many depends on reaching other levels. Check out the Pack’s Instagram to see how much Scouts enjoy that! 
  • Trail’s End Scholarship Program – Scouts in the Scholarship Program who sell at least $2,500 (online, face-to-face, or combination) in any calendar year* ending on or before December 31st will have 6% of their Qualified Sales count towards their own Trail’s End Scholarship.

Popcorn Funds Activities

The vendor that our Council has selected to support and manage our fundraiser is Trail’s End. For nearly 40 years the Trail’s End fundraiser has helped Scouts raise the funds they need to have the adventures of a lifetime in Scouting. The price of Trail’s End Popcorn helps scouts raise more money in less time so they can spend more time Scouting and less time fundraising. 

Popcorn Fundraiser Overview

Where does the money go? On average, over 73% of every dollar goes back to local Scouting. Approximately half of the 73% stays with the local Pack to cover costs of trips, campouts, and supplies, and the other half goes to the regional Council to maintain and improve Scout camps and to fund programs and outreach. The remaining portion pays for the popcorn.

Who?

Returning Scouts

Returning Scouts are encouraged to participate in the Popcorn Fundraiser.

New Scouts

Local units are the unfortunate recipients of having fundraising season and recruiting season happening at the exact same time. As such, Pack 735 has the policy that new Scouts will not have fundraising goals or be asked to participate in the popcorn sales. However, if they would like to then they are more than welcome to sign on.

What?

Meet the Products – Popcorn Your Customers Will Love!

Trail’s End offers the most popular products your customers love to buy every day, and provide the highest return for your fundraiser. 

Traditional Products 2022
online-products

Past Sales Performance

In 2021, we sold close to $14,000 of popcorn. In 2019, we sold over $23,000 of popcorn. In 2018, we sold a little over $18,000 of popcorn. Our Pack retained 39% of all popcorn sold.

These funds raised covered the following enrichment events during a given year:

  • Pinewood Derby
  • Game Night Prizes
  • Snow tubing at Nashoba Valley
  • Entertainment at the Blue & Gold banquet
  • Overnight at Battleship Cove or New England Air Museum
  • Overnight at New England Base Camp

When?

Early Fall is Popcorn Season

Our fundraising season typically runs from early September to mid-October. In 2022, Pack 735’s Popcorn Fundraiser kicks off with Show & Sell storefront sales at Market Basket-WOBURN on Saturday, September 10, 2022

Important Popcorn Dates

  • Pack 735 Popcorn Fundraiser Start – Saturday, September 10, 2022
  • Pack 735 Show & Sell Storefront Dates – Sign up for Storefront Sales using the Trail’s End app. Sign up instructions here.
    • Saturday, September 10, 2022 @ Market Basket – WOBURN (9 am – 3 pm)
    • Sunday, September 11, 2022 @
      • Stop and Shop – Reading (9:00 am – 1:00 pm)
      • Reading Fall Street Faire (2:30-5 pm)
    • Saturday, September 17, 2022 @ Market Basket – WOBURN (9 am – 3 pm)
    • Sunday, September 18, 2022 @ Stop and Shop – Reading (9 am – 3 pm)
    • Saturday, September 24, 2022 @ St. Athanasius Parish – Following 4 pm Mass (3:45 pm – 4:45 pm)
    • Sunday, September 25, 2022 @
      • St. Athanasius Parish – Following 10 am Mass (10:45 am -11:45 am)
      • St. Agnes Church – Following 11 am Mass (11:45 am – 12:45 pm)
  • Popcorn Wagon Sale Take-Orders Due – October 15, 2022
  • Popcorn Distribution to Wagon Sale Take-Order Customers – mid-November 2022
  • Pietastic & Awards Party – November 18, 2022 @ St Agnes Church

Where?

Multiple Ways to Sell

Fundraising Covers 3 distribution channels:

  • Show & Sells (Storefronts)
    • Involves coordinating booths in high foot traffic locations throughout your community.Scouts with an adult volunteer sign up for hour-long shifts on Saturday or Sunday. We have shifts starting at 9AM and going to 3PM. Our 2022 storefront locations include
      • Market Basket – WOBURNStop and Shop – ReadingReading Fall Street FaireSt Athanasius ParishSt Agnes Church
  • Online Direct
    • Online Direct sales are easier than ever for Scouts to sell virtually to friends and family and face-to-face with the new functionality to record an Online Direct order in the app.
    • The product ships to the customer, and it’s the SAFEST fundraising option for a unit.
    • Families setup their Trail’s End account by downloading the Trail’s End App, and they record sales directly in the app or share the virtual store to customers via email, social media and text message. Customers pay via credit/debit securely, and the products ship directly to them from Trail’s End. There’s no work for the kernel, and they can fundraise year-round!
    • Scouts can take orders on their own time. With a mid-October deadline, we will place an order for delivery in mid-November.
    • Online Direct Sales Guide for Trail’s End App
  • Wagon Sales
    • Door-to-Door Take Orders
      • Each Scout collects orders in the Trail’s End App and delivers on hand product or marks product as “undelivered” to be delivered at a later date*.
      • This can be taken through neighborhoods, friends, and family.
      • The Pack prefers that money be collected up front because The Trail’s End App only tracks paid orders.
      • Paper order form is available from the Popcorn Kernel.
      • * In mid-late-October, the Popcorn Kernel will calculate the Wagon Sale orders from the App and from paper order forms. The Kernel will then generate a Trail’s End order for the Pack which will be delivered in mid-November. Scout families will pick up their orders from the Kernel’s home.
    • Door-to-Door with Product (for available inventory following Show & Sell sales)
      • Involves the Scout bringing product door-to-door to customer residences to ask for support.
      • This method is preferred for neighborhoods close to home. A large percentage of home-owners say that no one has ever come to their door, missing this great opportunity.
      • Product is carried along in a wagon or vehicle, making it a quick and easy process for the customer
    • Wagon Sales Guide for Trail’s End App
    • Submitting Wagon Sales payment and paper order forms to Popcorn Kernel:
      • For those returning Scouts who are participating in the Popcorn Fundraiser:
        • If your Scout sold popcorn through paper order forms, the paper order forms PLUS payment are due Friday, October 15th.
        • If your Scout sold popcorn as undelivered Wagon Sales through the Trail’s End App and received cash or check payment from customers, payment is due this upcoming Friday, October 15th.
      • Consider either of these 2 ways to get your payment and paper order form, if applicable, to the Popcorn Kernel:
        • Drop off payment and paper order form in an envelope to the Popcorn Kernel. (address in e-mail to Pack)
        • Scan/photograph paper order form and e-mail as attachment to Popcorn Kernel (popcornkernel@readingpack735.org)
      • Preferred payment methods:
        • Check made out to Pack 735. Please include memo: Popcorn for [Scout First and Last Name].
        • Venmo payment to @Pack735 (Reading Pack). Please include label: Popcorn for [Scout First and Last Name]
      • Cash not preferred but will be accepted.
Storefront Sales
Online Sales
Wagon Sales

How?

How-to-Sell Information

Download the Trail’s End App!

Get started with The Trail’s End App available from the Apple Store and Google Play. Text APP to 62771 to download.

Getting started with the Trail’s End app:

  • For new accounts, please refer to the Trail’s End App Quick Start Guide, https://www.trails-end.com/registration, or instructions here.
    • In App/website, when asked “What Type Of Account Would You Like To Register?” Select Parent, on behalf of Scout
    • Information you’ll need to register under Pack 735 Reading:
      • Council: Spirit of Adventure Council
      • District: Flintlock District
      • Unit: Pack 735 Reading
  • If you have multiple Scouts, each Scout must have an account to receive proper credits towards rewards.
  • Please contact popcornkernel@readingpack735.org for any questions.

Resources:

Trail’s End Mobile App

Selling Tips & Training

  1. Always wear your field uniform (Class A).
  2. Never sell alone or enter anyone’s home.
  3. Practice your sales presentation:
    • Introduce yourself (first name only) and where you are from. 
    • Let people know what you are doing.
    • Close the sale. 
    • For example (Download Sales Script)
      • “Hi, my name is David and I am from Reading Cub Scout Pack 735.”
      • “I am earning my way to overnight camp. All of the popcorn is delicious and you will help fund my many adventures.”
      • “Can I count on your support?”
  4. Credit card sales are best for the Pack. Tell your customers, “We prefer credit/debit!”
  5. Be polite and always say “Thank You!”, even if the customer does not buy.
  6. Online Direct is the preferred way to sell & can be used for virtual or face-to-face selling. Products ship to the customer, you don’t have to handle products or cash.
  7. Always walk on the sidewalk and/or driveway.
  8. Check your order history in the Trail’s End App each year for repeat customers.
  9. Plan out how many sales you will need to reach your sales goal.
    • Determine whom you will ask to help you reach your goal.
    • Remember, two out of three people will buy when asked at their door.
3 Simples Steps for Success
Practice Your Popcorn Speech
Perfect Your Pitch and Popcorn Travel

Additional Information:

Questions?

If you have other specific questions then e-mail popcornkernel@readingpack735.org and the Popcorn Kernel will be in touch.

Beyond Popcorn: Money-Earning Projects

Packs are also allowed to run money earning projects but this has not typically been done by Pack 735. Click on the links below for more general information and application process for such a project.