Popcorn ’22

Please come back to this page often as updates will be posted.

Updates

• 9/19 — Updated Storefront Dates/Locations for Changes
• /9/6 — Added two new Storefront dates here & to Signup Genius page
• 9/1 — Added Storefront Signup Genius Link https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e4dada828a5fa7-storefront

Importance of Popcorn

The annual Popcorn sale is essential to the financial well-being of our Troop. Popcorn funds more that 60% of our annual operating costs. Popcorn is what buys

• cool things like Rank and Merit Badge patches,
• fun things like new tents and camp stoves and
• important things like new tires and brakes for Claire, the scout bus that we own and maintain.

The popcorn sale has an immediate impact — for every $1.00 of top line revenue, Troop 934 automatically keeps about 35 cents. Another 30 cents of every dollar stays here in the council, indirectly benefiting our scouts — for example, by funding upgrades and annual upkeep at Camp Raven Knob.

In 2021-22 we had an example of what can happen when we do not have a successful popcorn sale — every Troop 934 scout who went to Camp Raven Knob was assessed an extra $25.00 Troop Supplies fee. If we have a successful sale in 2022-23 we hope to reduce or even eliminate this additional fee.

Total Troop Goal + Individual Scout Quota

Our Total Troop Top-Line Goal is to exceed $30,000.00. We hope to get there though

• $20,000 of Door-to-Door Orders (Traditional + Wagon)
• $10,000 of Show-and-Sell Orders
• Some amount of Online orders

Our Per Scout Top-Line Quota is $600.00 per scout. That may sound like a lot, but in reality it is 8-10 (sometimes fewer) individual transactions. For this reason we actively encourage scouts to set a goal that is meaningful higher than the quota.

• We have approximately 50 active scouts. Simple math: $30,000.00 / 50 = $600.00.
• There are several paths that, when combined, should help scouts meet their quota.
• As was done in the past, in February we hope to provide a meaningful discount on annual dues to scouts who meet their quota

Door Prizes

To maintain interest and engagement we will be awarding prizes each week in a raffle format to scouts who turn in incremental sales. It is therefore important during September and October to get to the Monday meeting early and immediately update your running sales total with the popcorn team. Online sales will count but the weekly cutoff will be noon rather than 7pm. Parents should expect the weekly scout meetings to last approx. 30 minutes longer that usual during popcorn season.

The format of the raffle is simple: Each scout who qualifies will have his name put on a raffle ticket and into the hat. There will be 3-4 camping related items on the table such as an ENO hammock, a sleeping pad, a Gerber knife, a headlamp or a Nalgene bottle. 3-4 tickets will be drawn and the scouts will line up in order drawn. The LAST ticket drawn gets the FIRST choice and the FIRST ticket drawn gets the LAST choice.

• The first raffle will be at the conclusion of the Court of Honor on 12th Sept. Any scout who reports any amount of popcorn will be given a ticket.
• Tickets for weeks 2 through 5 will be awarded when the scout meets or exceeds $100.00 of incremental sales since his last order update.

Method of Payment

A personal check payable to “Troop 934” is the preferred method of remitting payment to Troop 934. Cash is not a preferred method of payment for popcorn. There are three reasons

1. Cash can (and often does) get lost on it’s way to being turned in on a Monday night.
2. Cash creates a large bookkeeping headache for our popcorn volunteers.
3. Cash presents risk of loss if we don’t get it deposited right away.

Therefore, we ask that parents deposit any cash collected during Door-to-Door into their personal account then write a check to “Troop 934”.

On the other hand, Scouts are welcome to accept cash during Door-to-Door sales. In fact, cash is actually preferable here because it reduces the risk of returned check fees. That said, if Mrs. Jones insists on writing a personal check, please have her make it out to “Troop 934.”

Unlike years past, we do not have a way to take credit cards during Door-to-Door sales.

Donations

Invariably, a neighbor will want to make a small (or sometimes large) donation to the Troop but refuse to actually order popcorn. This is great – please accept their donation, which will count towards the Scout’s individual quota. For tracking purposes, co-mingle the cash or check with the rest of the of the weekly remittance and make a note on the order form “Donation — No popcorn ordered.”

Key Dates for Traditional Paper Orders

• Mon, 29^th Aug — Paper order form distribution during the first regular Monday Meeting
• Thur, 1^st Sept — Door-to-Door Sales (paper order taking) can begin
• Mon, 5^th Sept — Labor Day Holiday (No Scouts)
  
• Mon, 12^th Sept — 1^st order submission/payment collection + Raffle+ Parent Q&A @ the COH
• Mon, 19^th Sept — 2^nd order submission/payment collection + Raffle @ regular Monday meeting
• Mon, 26^th Sept — 3^rd order submission/payment collection + Raffle @ regular Monday meeting
• Mon, 3^rd Oct — 4^th order submission/payment collection + Raffle @ regular Monday meeting
• Mon, 10^th Oct — 5^th (final) order submission/payment collection + Raffle @ at regular Monday meeting
  
• Fri, 17^th Nov (TBC) — Popcorn pickup
• Sat/Sun, 18^th/19^th Nov — Popcorn distribution

Key Dates for “Wagon Sales”

Wagon Sales are where a Scout has an inventory of popcorn in his “wagon” as he walks door to door in the neighborhood. Instead of taking orders in early September for delivery in late November, a Scout is able to immediately hand a neighbor his or her popcorn on the spot. The real benefit is that scouts and parents do not have to chase deliveries into December and are effectively done with popcorn in early Oct.

• Sun, 21^st Aug — “Wagon Sales” Pre-Order Agreement & Parent Commitment form (linked here) due
• Fri, 18^th Sept — Popcorn pre-order pick-up; Door-to-Door sales with immediate delivery begin
• Mon, 10^th Oct — Final payment payment collection at regular Monday meeting

Show-and-Sell Events

Show-and-Sells are where a couple of scouts (typically 3 at a time, in half-day shifts) and leaders (at least 2, again in half-day shifts) man a table in front of a retailer such as a grocery or hardware store and sell (rather than take orders for) popcorn. Troop 934 takes a substantial amount of risk here in that we must buy a substantial amount of inventory for these sales, so it is essential each event is a success.

All scouts and leaders should plan on participating in at least 1 Show-and-Sell event. A Sign-up Genius is now active: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e4dada828a5fa7-storefront

Sales will be allocated among the day’s participating scouts to count against the quota. Events work best when we have a mix of ages — a single mid-level or older scout leading two younger scouts is ideal.

• Sat 17^th Sept – Ace Hardware Robinhood 10am-4pm DONE
• Sun 18^th Sept — Harris Teeter Whitaker Square 10am-6pm DONE
  Please Note: These first two date are the same weekend as the Kerr Scott (Conservation) Campout
  
• Fri 23^rd Sept – Lowes Foods Robinhood Rd 4pm-8pm
• Sat 24^th Sept – Moved to MTUMC Parking Lot 10am-4pm (Was Food Lion Lewisville)
  
• Sat 1^st Oct – Moved to Lowes Foods Robinhood Rd 10am-4pm (Was MTUMC Parking Lot)
• Sun 2^nd Oct – Lowes Foods Robinhood Rd 10am-4pm
  
• Sat 8^th Oct – Food Lion Hawthorne 10am-6pm
  
• Sat 15^th Oct – Food Lion Hawthorne 10am-6pm
  Please Note: This is the same weekend as the Linville Gorge backpacking trip.

Additional dates and/or locations may be added

Online Sales

Online sales that can be a excellent option for scouts with friends and family in other states. Basically, the scout emails a link, the customer inputs an order and pays via credit card and the popcorn vendor ships the product direct to the buyer. The selection is different (chocolate melts during shipment, so no chocolate) and the per unit pricing is higher (shipping and handling). There is even a Facebook integration. You do have to have a base level of technical knowhow to follow the account set-up and linking instructions. Please let a popcorn team member know if you want to pursue this option.

• Thur, 1^st Sept — Online Sales begin
• Mon, 17^th Oct — Online Sales end

Update: If you decide to pursue online sales please reach out to the Popcorn Committee. Your account must be properly configured before your first online sale for Troop 934 to receive credit (and get paid).

Other Key Considerations

• Selling and Delivering Popcorn is always always a Class A event.
• Do not be afraid to say “This is a Donation with some Popcorn as a Thank-you”