Do the Boy Scouts still do, "Bob a Job"?

Bretrick

Bretrick

Well-known Member
Location
Perth Western Australia
When I was a Scout we had Bob a Job week as a fundraiser.
Visiting peoples homes to do jobs for them. Be it Gardening, Window /Car Washing etc.
We would be paid in Bobs, 20 cent increments. Though most people paid $1 or $2.
We also had "Bottle Week"
We went door to door collecting bottles for recycling cash.
I'm talking 1970's and 80's
 

In the 60's my brother was in the Cubs and of course they did Bob-a-Job, but he never wanted to take part... so seeing an opportunity to make money, I decided ( as a girl guide).. to go around doing the same. I made my own sheet of paper for people to sign to say I'd done the work, and how much they'd paid... usually a Bob (shilling ) sometimes less.. but I did the work, I was 12.. hauled and chopped wood.. washed cars, washed windows, ..all sorts of jobs..

What I didn't even think was that I was breaking a scouting law.... and I'd knocked on the door of a Guide leader in my quest to do a job.. .. and before the day was out she'd come to our house and told my mother that I was to cease immediately... only Cubs and scouts could take part...
 
The only thing I know of, here in Canada, is the Boy Scout, Apple sales to raise money. If you buy an apple, you are given a tag on a string to show you gave.

Girl Guides sell cookies.
 

In usa they sell popcorn locally, and of course the girls sell
cookies.....several years ago I wanted to donate to scouts for
them to rake all my leaves....they shot that down fast....no labor
work I guess.....
 
hollydolly said:
In the 60's my brother was in the Cubs and of course they did Bob-a-Job, but he never wanted to take part... so seeing an opportunity to make money, I decided ( as a girl guide).. to go around doing the same. I made my own sheet of paper for people to sign to say I'd done the work, and how much they'd paid... usually a Bob (shilling ) sometimes less.. but I did the work, I was 12.. hauled and chopped wood.. washed cars, washed windows, ..all sorts of jobs..

What I didn't even think was that I was breaking a scouting law.... and I'd knocked on the door of a Guide leader in my quest to do a job.. .. and before the day was out she'd come to our house and told my mother that I was to cease immediately... only Cubs and scouts could take part...
Click to expand...
So much for rewarding initiative! 🙄😔
 
hollydolly said:
In the 60's my brother was in the Cubs and of course they did Bob-a-Job, but he never wanted to take part... so seeing an opportunity to make money, I decided ( as a girl guide).. to go around doing the same. I made my own sheet of paper for people to sign to say I'd done the work, and how much they'd paid... usually a Bob (shilling ) sometimes less.. but I did the work, I was 12.. hauled and chopped wood.. washed cars, washed windows, ..all sorts of jobs..

What I didn't even think was that I was breaking a scouting law.... and I'd knocked on the door of a Guide leader in my quest to do a job.. .. and before the day was out she'd come to our house and told my mother that I was to cease immediately... only Cubs and scouts could take part...
Click to expand...
Wow, you got scolded for showing initiative. Not fair. 😞
 
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When I was a Boy Scout in the 60's we would have a paper drive, collecting old newspapers and such. Never had a Bob a Job activity and I don't know if that's done now.
 
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I admit it's been a week ,or two, since I was a Tenderfoot Scout. I'm not sure just how big "scouting" is today. There was the whole adults taking kids into the woods thing. As a kid, I don't think we paid too much attention to the moralistic aspect of scouting- "a good scout is sincere, etc, etc.". I think the idea of scouting is good, but the scouting organization seemed more inclined to sell uniforms, books, and anything with a scout logo on it. I used to hear on the local news about a kid doing some good feat to earn "Eagle", but not for a long time.
 
I was a Boy Scout and earned the Eagle Scout award, which is the highest award in Boy Scouts. I never heard of “Bob a Job.” When I was in BSA, it was my life. Every weekend, I had my dad work with me to earn merit badges. I earned a total of 24 merit badges, which at that time was 3 more than required to become an Eagle Scout. I will be the first to admit that I learned a lot about survival, first aid and community service in scouting.

It was a very proud moment for my parents and me when I received the award in church.
 

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