The troop has several fundraising activities through out the year. The biggest of them all being the Tree Lot.
Tree Lot. Every year the troop sells Christmas Trees at Dorn hardware in Oregon. The fundraisers profits go into the general troop account. These profits can be used for purchasing new equipment like the recently purchased Eureka tents and new cookware and stoves.
Fish Fry. The also popular Fish Fry is another troop fundraiser. In the spring of most years we will arrange to have a fish fry at the church. It just lasts one night, except the Thursday before when we need to set the tables and prepare the food. Then on Friday we will have the fish fry. It usually goes from 4:30 to 8:30 in the evening. This is another fundraiser that all of the troop members have fun doing.
The Scout Account. Every scout gets his own bank account when they sign up to join the troop. This account is where the scout will earn money to put into it and then spend the money on scouting activities or scouting merchandise such as, Summer Camp, maybe a pocket knife that they really want, a tent, or the all popular High Adventure. Their are several times throughout the year when a scout will have an opportunity to put money in their account. Some of them follow:
Wreaths, Swags, and Roping Sale. As part of the Christmas season the troop lets the kids sell Christmas wreaths, swags and roping for some extra money to put into their scout account. This is really nice because it goes along with the Tree Lot and we are able to hit two birds with one stone. This is also by far the time where scouts can put the most money into their scout account. Some really ambitious kids have put several hundred dollars into their account, and nearly everyone participates.
Candy Sales. Troop 168 has on occasion done candy sales in the spring. It started as a fertilizer sale but when only two scouts turned in order forms it was decided that fertilizer wasn’t going to work, so it got turned into a candy sale. It’s really very simple. The troop will give the scouts a whole bunch of candy. Say $50 worth. Then the scout will sell as much of that $50 worth of candy that they can and when they can’t sell anymore they will return $50 worth of money and unsold candy. Then the entire profit of what the scout sold will go into his account. It is over all a very profitable fundraiser.