Friends of Scouting

The Pine Tree Council's Friends of Scouting (FOS) campaigns support the first-rate Scouting experience that we have in New Hampshire. There are several FOS campaigns kicked-off every year, including the Family, District Scouter, Community, Professional Staff, and Executive Board Campaigns. The money raised in these campaigns goes to support 10% of the Pine Tree Council's annual operating budget. Every year the Pine Tree Council invests $144 per youth to support his or her experience. We need your help to make this happen.

The Pine Tree Council supports the Scouting experience

Properties

PTC owns, operates and maintains buildings, acres of land, miles of road, as well as providing supplies such as animals, food, fuel, and other program materials for our camps.

New Facilities

Each year, new buildings and facilities are opened at our camps.

Insurance

PTC provides liability insurance for all chartered organizations as well as sickness and accident insurance for all youth and leaders.

Youth Protection

The PTC screens all adult applications through a national database. We have always had a zero-tolerance policy. Youth protection training is available to all leaders, parents, and youth.

Scout Service Center

Our council operates a service center where countless questions are answered about membership, fundraising, camping, and other topics. Program kick-off and program CD-ROMs are developed at the service center along with the council newsletter and website so we can effectively communicate with volunteers. In addition, the Scout Shop serves thousands of customers each year with supplies, badges, training material, and support.

Staff

Your full-time unit serving executive is your local resource for Scouting information. They recruit and train volunteers to support units, recruit new youth members, maintain relationships with chartered organizations and local businesses, and raise money to support our youth.

Downeast District Family FOS Campaign

Every year packs and troops are asked to participate in the Family Friends of Scouting campaign. Beginning in November, unit leaders will be asked to provide a date in January, February, or March so that a volunteer presenter or the district executive can conduct a FOS presentation to the families in the unit. The presentation consists of an introduction by the presenter and a video that explains what the Daniel Webster Council does to support its members. The entire presentation should take about 20 minutes. Pledge cards and brochures will be distributed at the presentation and families will be asked to make a contribution that night. Families need to be informed of when and where their unit's FOS presentation will be in advance, so prior planning is critical!

All that we ask is that families are given the opportunity to contribute to the Friends of Scouting campaign and that they are encouraged to participate at whatever level they feel comfortable with. The Daniel Webster Council does more to support its units and membership than most councils, and we want to be able to continue this tradition of excellence. This can only be accomplished with support from our units.

Every unit is strongly encouraged to have a FOS Unit Coordinator.

This is someone from the unit that is willing to accomplish the following:

1. Make sure the unit has set a date, time, and location for the FOS presentation by the end of November and communicate this information to the District FOS Chair or the District Executive.
2. Inform parents of the importance of FOS and share the Q-Plan goal.
3. Follow-up with their assigned presenter one week prior to the scheduled presentation to confirm details (date, time, location, if there's a TV and VCR at the location, etc.).
4. Greet the presenter at the the unit meeting.
5. Introduce the presenter and remind parents of the Q-Plan goal.
6. Make a FOS gift and hand envelope to presenter at the conclusion of the presentation.
7. Thank presenter for coming to the unit.