“We want them to help in the community, and to always offer their time to help others.”
For the Burlington Township Cub Scouts, the goal is to help kids grow into important members of society. They need to learn what it takes to be part of a team, while also using the lessons learned in the Scouts in their everyday lives.
Last month, Den 9 of Pack 10 took part in its annual popcorn fundraiser at the Shoprite in Burlington Township. Coming into the fundraiser, den leader Ed Reilly challenged the boys to hit the $600 mark in four hours.
With 30 minutes to go, the boys had $800 raised, but Reilly continued to raise the bar even higher.
“We try to teach the boys that in life you can achieve anything you put your mind to,” Reilly said. “You can always set the bar at one level, then raise it higher to challenge yourself. That’s what we did.”
Reilly then challenged the boys to increase their goal to $1,000, and if they achieved that, he would shave his head at the next den meeting.
At the conclusion of the fundraiser, the Scouts raised $1,062 in the four hours outside Shoprite. Their dedication and fight to achieve the goal never faltered, and Reilly will now have to hold up his end of the bargain.
“It was funny because it really slipped out of my mouth,” Reilly said. “They really hustled during the final minutes and it showed in the outcome. The community really helped out, too, whether people bought popcorn or not.”
Reilly stated that half of the people who went into Shoprite either made a donation or bought popcorn, which was “huge” to the Scouts reaching their goal.
The popcorn fundraiser is the Cub Scouts’ biggest fundraiser throughout the year, and they receive a percentage of the profits they raise.
“It’s important to teach the kids at a young age that they can achieve their goals,” Reilly said. “It makes me wonder what our final tally would’ve been if I put our goal at $1,500 or more.”
The Burlington Township community is important to the Scouts, who have a list of activities they partake in throughout the year. Other than their popcorn fundraiser, the Scouts also have two car washes a year, and are looking to add a beef and beer and a pancake breakfast to their schedule.
“The Boy Scouts selling popcorn is similar to the Girl Scouts selling cookies,” Reilly said. “We also help throughout the community, taking part in food drives, helping in the township’s cleanup day, caroling at the Masonic Village during Christmas, and more.”
Some 53 members make up Den 9, which Reilly has high hopes for heading into the future.
“We hope that the boys grow into good young men,” Reilly said. “We want them to help in the community, and to always offer their time to help others.”
For more information on Cub Scouts Pack 10 in Burlington Township, check https://www.btpack10.org/front_page.
