Scouts withdraw from United Way
MARQUETTE - Declaring the United Way allocation for 2009 inadequate, the Hiawathaland Council of the Boy Scouts of America has withdrawn from the United Way of Delta County.
Delta County United Way's allocation for 2009 was set at $2,000, a 75 percent drop from the previous year and more than $15,000 less than six years ago. The United Way of Delta County allocated $170,000 in 2008.
The Scouts will not participate in the 2008-09 fund-raising efforts of the United Way of Delta County. The executive board of the Hiawathaland Council unanimously voted to withdraw from the United Way of Delta County and work to raise funds through other means.
"We feel the 75 percent reduction to be inadequate and inappropriate for an agency which was one of the founders of the Delta County United Way," Scout Executive Dewey Jones said in a letter to the United Way of Delta County.
Attempts to contact Julie Mallard, executive director for United Way Delta County were unsuccessful this morning.
The Hiawathaland Council withdrew from the United Way of Marquette County in January when its annual allocation to the Boy Scouts dropped 80 percent to $1,048. The scouts continue its partnership with Dickinson County United Way, United Way of the Eastern U.P and the Copper Country United Way.
The United Way was formed to provide a central donation collection agency for non-profit community programs. The Hiawathaland Council's executive board felt the amount of staff and volunteer time needed to request money from the United Way of Delta County did not justify the $2,000 allocation.
The scouts were told in a letter the decision to reduce the allocation to the Hiawathaland Council was its ability to raise its own money.
"This decision forces us to expend volunteer and staff time in fund-raising at the expense of time devoted to program and membership development. We feel we can best do that unfettered by an association with the United Way that creates an impression of providing meaningful support to agencies, when the allocation is a token amount in reality," Jones told the United Way of Delta County.
Jones said the Boy Scouts' affiliation with United Way often gives the mistaken impression that scouting is adequately funded. He said that impression makes it difficult to meet the program's needs.
The Hiawathaland Council uses its money to support scout units in communities throughout the Upper Peninsula and for development of Camp Hiawatha south of Munising. Separate fund-raising efforts include the construction of a new shower facility at Camp Hiawatha.
"As an organization, we are very fortunate to have a strong volunteer base to draw on for programming and some construction needs to keep costs low," Jones said.
Along with United Way allocations, Hiawathaland Council raises money through popcorn sales in the fall, Friends of Scouting solicitations in the spring and corporate donations. To make up for a drop in United Way funds, the Hiawathaland Council is starting a fall fund-raising appeal in Delta and Marquette counties. Contributions can be made directly or through www.upscouting.org.
