Haunted Trail Fundraiser

There will be lots of information coming about our 7th Annual Haunted Trail, but this email is all about the fundraising opportunity presented for parents and youth who participate. Traditionally proceeds from our Haunted Trail have gone directly back into our sections for program, however this year we recognize that all our Scouting families are struggling after more than a year without big fundraisers. So this year only, we will be using the Haunted Trail as an “Activity Account” fundraiser – that means proceeds from the event will go towards the youths’ fundraising accounts which can be used to help pay for major events (like Europe ’23), registration fees, camps, dues or even uniforms!

80% of the profits from the Haunted Trail will be distributed to youth activity accounts based on the number of hours the youth works as well as the number of hours the youths’ helpers (parents, family, etc) work. So a family that puts in 40hrs will make twice as much as a family that puts in 20hrs.

This fundraiser takes a great deal of work, and youth that are planning to go to Europe should be counting on putting in at least 30hrs of work. Parents will have an opportunity to also put in up to around 16hrs as well. Youth that are not going to Europe still have an amazing opportunity to load up their Activity Account. Just think, if a youth starts fundraising as a Beaver Scout, by the time they are a Scout they will be able to participate in just about any amazing adventure for free with their fundraising!

There is a running post in our Facebook group talking about volunteers, but to be clear, we need a LOAD of volunteers to make this work. In previous years we have raised well over $5,000, and that was with just one evening… we’re planning on running for a full weekend, so we have a LOT of potential!

Setup & Tear Down

  • As much as possible will be set up on Thursday, October 28th with the finishing touches completed during the day on Friday, October 29th. In previous years, we had dozens of volunteers for about 8hrs of set-up time. Non-Scouter parents and family members are welcome to assist with set-up as long as they have a valid NL Vaccine Passport. Parent/family member hours will count as youth hours for the purpose of splitting proceeds.
  • In addition to set-up, we’ll be seeking volunteers to build props, paint, etc leading up to the event.
  • Tear-down will be all day on Sunday, October 31st. Expect around 8hrs to get things taken down, sorted, and packed up for next year. Parents and family members are welcome to assist.

Working the Trail

  • We are expecting to be open from 7:00pm – 10:00pm on both Friday, October 29th and Saturday, October 30th as well as during the day on Saturday from Noon to 4:00pm. The more volunteers, the better the experience! Only registered members (youth and Scouters) will be able to participate in running the trail, so we need all hands 🙂

In closing, I cannot overstate how important it is for youth attending Europe (and ideally parents) to participate as much as possible. This is definitely our most fun fundraiser, and certainly one of the most lucrative. When we say money is not a factor for youth attending these major events, we mean it, but only if the youth truly does their best to get there. A youth that only comes for a couple hours is not really giving their best… so something to consider.

Thanks in advance to everyone for their help! More details will be out soon, but for now, free up your calendar!


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