Popcorn pays for all of it
One sale, one season, and it funds nearly everything the pack does. Five straight years first in council. Here is exactly how it works.
Everything costs money
Badges, belt loops, pinewood derby cars, campfire wood, pack camping gear, the Blue and Gold banquet, awards, craft supplies, and the pack's share of camp. It adds up to a real annual budget, and it works out to roughly $200 of programming per Scout, per year.
Pack 3049 runs one fundraiser to cover all of it. That is deliberate. No wrapping paper in October, no cookie dough in February, no candy bars in the spring. Sell popcorn once, then spend the rest of the year actually doing Scouting.
A Scout who hits the pack sales goal has paid for their year. Sell past it and you build camp credit.
The math, plainly
Commission climbs with training, growth over last year, and total volume. Every one of those is something the pack earns together.
Five years, first in council
| Year | Total sales | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $24,524 | 1st in council |
| 2022 | $49,982 | 1st in council |
| 2023 | $40,000 | 1st in council |
| 2024 | $45,724 | 1st in council |
| 2025 | $64,939 | 1st in council, best year on record |
Every dollar of that came from Scouts who were nervous the first time they knocked on a door, and were not by the tenth.
Key dates
- Week of Aug 24Popcorn arrivesThe pack's full season order is delivered. Distribution details go out in BAND.
- Mon Aug 31Popcorn Kick-Off at the pack meetingCedar Creek Church, 6:30 PM. Order forms, Square setup, storefront sign ups, and water rockets.
- Fri Oct 23Return dayUnsold product goes back to council by noon. This is the only return window all season.
- Wed Nov 25Final sale dayAll money and order forms due to the popcorn kernel.
- Fri Dec 4Invoice payment due to council
- Mon Dec 7Camp credit and Winner's Circle forms due
- Sun Dec 13Payouts, and Amazon gift cards to Scouts
Sell early. The first few weeks are consistently the strongest weeks of the season, every single year. Scouts who start on day one almost always finish first, and they finish sooner.
Three numbers to remember: $525 pays for your Scout's year, $1,600 earns them free summer camp at CCLT, and $3,000 gets them into the Winner's Circle Club. Everything they sell also earns 4 percent back as an Amazon gift card.
Four ways to sell
Show and sell
Set up in a high traffic spot with product in hand. The pack buys inventory up front, so your Scout hands a bag over the moment someone buys.
Show and deliver
Take popcorn door to door and sell it on the spot. No waiting, no second trip, no order forms to chase down later.
Take order
The traditional way. Go door to door with the order form, then deliver after the sale closes. Good for Scouts who would rather not haul a wagon.
Online
Your Scout gets a personal link to send to family anywhere in the country. Ships direct from PRP, free shipping, and it still counts toward their total.
Storefront shifts
The pack books shifts at local stores through the council, and you sign up for the ones that fit your family.
- Book up to 14 days in advance
- Two hour shifts
- Pick your location
- Reserve your time
Two Scouts and two registered adults per shift, Class A uniform. Shifts fill fast, so grab them the day they open. Book one below.
Taking cards with Square
The pack runs card sales through Square, same as last year, so nobody has to turn down a customer who is not carrying cash. In practice that is most customers.
Your den leader gets you set up at the kick-off. If Square gives you trouble mid-season, tell the popcorn kernel right away rather than working around it, because every sale needs to land in the system to count toward your Scout's total.
Book a storefront shift
Storefront shifts are booked through the pack's own scheduler. Pick the store, pick the time, and it is yours.
- Opens 14 days ahead, so check back weekly
- Two hour shifts
- Two Scouts and two registered adults per shift
- Class A uniform
Shop online at prpopcornstore.com. Every purchase is credited to your Scout and the pack by name, shipping is free, there is nothing to deliver, and online orders count toward your Scout's total, camp credit, and Winner's Circle just like everything else. This is the one to send to grandparents three states away.
What we sell
Pecatonica River Popcorn, sold through the Anthony Wayne Area Council. Family owned and making popcorn since 1983. These twelve are what Pack 3049 stocks in person this season.
-
2 lb Yellow Popping Corn
2 lb Yellow Popping Corn
$15
Allergens: No allergens listed.
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Caramel Corn, TV bucket
Caramel Corn, TV bucket
$15
Allergens: Contains milk and soy. Processed with peanuts and tree nuts.
-
Cheddar Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
$20
Allergens: Contains milk. Processed with soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.
-
Jalapeno Cheese
New this yearJalapeno Cheese
$20
Allergens: Contains milk. Processed with soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.
-
Trail Mix
Trail Mix
$20
Allergens: Contains peanuts, almonds, cashews, soy, and milk.
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Buttery Microwave, 15 pack
Buttery Microwave, 15 pack
$25
Allergens: Contains milk.
-
Kettle Corn Microwave, 15 pack
Kettle Corn Microwave, 15 pack
$25
Allergens: No allergens listed.
-
Caramel with Sea Salt
Caramel with Sea Salt
$25
Allergens: Contains milk and soy. Processed with peanuts and tree nuts.
-
Sea Salt Splash
Sea Salt Splash
$25
Allergens: Contains milk, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.
-
Mountain Munch
New this yearMountain Munch
$25
Allergens: Contains soy, peanuts, milk, and tree nuts.
-
Freedom Pretzels
Freedom Pretzels
$30
Allergens: Contains soy, wheat, and milk.
-
Cheese Lovers collection
Cheese Lovers collection
$50
Allergens: A mixed collection. Contains milk; check each item's label for full allergens.
Allergen information comes from Pecatonica River Popcorn's published nutrition page. It is here because families ask, and because several Scouts in this pack have nut allergies. Always read the actual package before serving. The pack is not the manufacturer and cannot vouch for production changes.
Full nutrition facts for every product: pecatonicariverpopcorn.com
Military donations are also available for customers who want to support Scouting without taking product home. The online store carries larger gift tins and bundles that we do not stock in person.
Caramel Corn and Kettle Corn go first. Every year. If your Scout is picking what to load in the wagon, start there, and expect Kettle Corn to be gone by mid season.
Rewards
Three milestones worth aiming at, and one thing every Scout earns no matter what they sell.
Your year is paid for
Registration and program fees, covered. Anything past this builds toward the next two.
Free summer camp at CCLT
A Cub Scout who sells $1,600 earns one session of Cub Resident Camp at Camp Chief Little Turtle, free. Three days, two nights, aquatics, BB guns, archery, and the campfire.
Camp credit is nontransferable, can only be used at CCLT, and Scouts may not combine their sales with a sibling's to reach it. Credit earned this season is used for the 2027 camp season.
Winner's Circle Club
Scouts who sell $3,000 in popcorn join the council's Winner's Circle Club and pick one prize from the list below. Show and sell, take order, and online sales all count toward it.
Winner's Circle: pick one
- Gift card$200 Amazon
- Gift card$200 Best Buy
- Gift card$200 AMC
- PrizeGame table
- PrizeDrum set
- Prize3D printer
- Prize40 inch SmartCast TV
- PrizeLaptop
Every Scout: 4 percent back, in Amazon
This one has no minimum. Pack 3049 skips the prize catalog, takes the higher commission instead, and pays 4 percent of each Scout's own sales straight back to them as an Amazon gift card at the end of the season. Sell $1,000, get $40 to spend on whatever you actually want.
This is the pack's own reward and it stacks with everything above.
Pie in the face
The pack's favorite tradition. Top sellers earn the right to put a pie in a leader's face, in front of everybody, at a pack meeting. Several leaders have learned not to volunteer.
Crossing over to a troop? The council sets the Scouts BSA camp credit at $2,500 in sales for one session of Scout Resident Camp. Worth knowing for Arrow of Light Scouts heading to a troop in the spring.
Before this goes live: confirm the 2026 per Scout sales goal and the buyout amount, then replace them above. Also double check the 2023 total: the kickoff deck says $40,000 and the final sales data says $36,242. Pick whichever the pack considers official.
The script, and what actually works
The script
"Hello! My name is ______ and I am with Pack 3049. I am selling popcorn to earn my way to camp and support our camp outings. I have some great popcorn flavors available. My favorite flavor is ______, and I know you will love our popcorn. Would you consider supporting me?"
Always thank the customer, even when they say no. Be cordial and kind. That part is not a sales technique, it is the whole point.
Selling tips
- Be in uniform. A clean Class A does half the work.
- Know the products. Names, flavors, and which one is your favorite.
- Practice the pitch. Out loud, at home, before the first door.
- Have confidence and smile. Let your Scout do the talking, not the parent.
- Thank every customer. Every single one.
Safety
- Buddy system, always. Never sell alone.
- An adult with them at every door and every storefront.
- Road rules: sidewalks, crosswalks, watch for cars backing out.
- Money stays with the adult, not in a Scout's pocket.
- Be home before dark.
Three ways to cover your year
Sell popcorn
Reach the pack sales goal and your Scout's year is paid for. Order forms, storefronts, and online orders all count toward it.
Buyout
Pay the pack's flat program amount instead and skip the sale entirely. No guilt, no follow up, no explanation needed.
Calendar fundraiser
An alternative for families who would rather sell something other than popcorn.
And if none of that is realistic right now, talk to a Cubmaster. Financial assistance exists, the conversation stays private, and no child has ever been turned away from Pack 3049 over money.
Buyout calculator
Type in what your Scout has sold so far and see exactly where you stand. Nothing is sent anywhere. The number stays in your own browser, so you can come back and update it as the season goes.
Before this goes live: confirm this season's buyout amount and commission rate, then set BUYOUT and RATE at the bottom of assets/site.js. Everything on the calculator recalculates from those two numbers. The defaults are $200 and 38 percent, which is the structure the 2024 owed letter used, and the formula reproduces all nine published amounts from that letter exactly.
Questions about the sale?
Ask either Co-Cubmaster, or post in the BAND app, where weekly sales updates go out all season.