Could you turn down a smiling young lad dressed in a Cub Scout uniform at your door on a Saturday morning with a box of fresh doughnuts in hand?

Back in the day, my father worked out an arrangement with a local doughnut shop, and our Cub Scout Pack would sell boxes and boxes and boxes of glazed and other doughnuts door-to-door thru the subdivisions to raise money for activities. I imagine no one probably does that anymore.

Most folks were excited to have fresh doughnuts delivered to the door on a Saturday morning, with many eagerly awaiting our scheduled rounds each first and third Saturday.  Although, we always ran the risk of waking someone intent on sleeping in and catching them before their first morning cup of coffee.  Which was unfortunate for everyone. Undaunted, we would just march quickly on to the next house, doughnut box in hand.

During winter months, we would hold paper drives, running door-to-door collecting old newspapers to recycle and raise money.  In the days when everyone still got a morning newspaper, of course.

On my own, my mother taught me how to make handwoven loop potholders and I starting selling them door-to-door to raise my own money for scouting activities and camps around age nine, and then added taking orders for personalized Christmas Cards a couple years later.

And maybe that is why I am so receptive to kids out selling items to raise money for Scouting and School activities, and always try to buy their Candy Bars, Girl Scout Cookies, Popcorn and the like, never dismissing or passing them by.  There is so much more to it and behind the programs than just handing over a couple of bucks for a candy bar.

It is important to support not only beneficial activities for children in our local community, but also to reward their motivation, planning, time invested and efforts to raise the money themselves, as opposed to simply asking for a handout, while learning life skills and developing character in the process.

If they are demonstrating initiative and the personal gumption to be willing to go door-to-door or stand in front of a supermarket in the elements for hours and hours working to raise money for their organization while they could be at home playing video games on the couch, then I am more than willing to help them out and always carry a few dollars cash with me just for that purpose.  And I usually get a candy bar or box of cookies as a reward in return. A win-win for everyone involved the way I see it!

Admittedly on occasion, sometimes they may be offering something I do not want or have no need for, and in those cases merely hand the item back to the supervising parent to resell for more profit while still supporting their program and efforts.

So the next time a cheery little Scout, band member or neighborhood kid filled with hopeful anticipation knocks on your door, greets you at the supermarket, or sets up a lemonade stand or car wash for a cause, please consider helping them out.

You will be supporting not only the program and cause, but also helping to reward, encourage and teach important life lessons to a young child at the same time. Truly a win-win for the community, even without the cookies or candy bar.  And well worth a few bucks, don’t you think?

Thanks as always for reading and visiting with us here, and very best wishes for a wonderful day! —  Jim (and Red!)

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