Boy Scouts’ Drive Takes in $130,000

A monthlong drive to fund programs that teach children leadership skills and foster responsibility netted the Boy Scouts of America more than $130,000, far exceeding past efforts, club leaders said.

A scout auction and golf tournament held during one week in November helped raise money for programs that serve more than 7,000 local youths. In previous years, the scouts had experienced a decline in donations, dropping as low as about $15,000 last year, scout officials said.

Organizers credited this year’s fund-raising success on an effort to include more local business leaders and corporations in the charity events.

“When business people support the Scouts, they in effect are showing how much they care about our young people,” said Jon Light, president of the Ventura County Council, which administers all local Scout programs.

Also, Light said the Scouts used their ingenuity to come up with new campaigns to raise funds.

“Fund-raising by using candy sales was so competitive that we weren’t raising much at all,” Light said. “We switched to popcorn and it made a world of difference. Everyone’s fighting for the same money so you have to get creative.”