Posted on 11/27/2007 7:28:42 PM PST by RDTF
A couple of Boy Scout troops lost more than $1,500 worth of Christmas trees to thieves between Nov. 19 and Friday. Troop 1390 out of Dale City and Troop 1396 out of Lake Ridge set up shop every year in the lot in front of the SunTrust Bank in the Forestdale Plaza on Dale Boulevard.
The Scouts generally get a semi-truck load of balsam firs from Nova Scotia, said Doug Doerr, the scoutmaster for Troop 1390.
This year someone stole 34 of the 300 trees the Scouts ordered.
"We have never had a situation like this," said Doerr, who has been involved with the tree lot since 1999. "It's really disappointing."
The theft of the tress, which sell for $30, $45 and $60 depending on size, represents a 11.3 percent loss for the Scouts, Doerr said.
The Scouts use the profits from the tree sales to pay for summer camp where they work on requirements for merit badges, said Doerr, a retired U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot.
They split the money according to how many boys work and the number of hours they work at the lot, which is open from 6 to 9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends .
"The more hours you work, the more money goes into your account," Doerr said.
Summer camp costs between $200 and $250 per Scout.
The loss means that each Scout probably won't be able to earn enough to fully pay their camp dues, Doerr said.
Doerr said he would probably take what he earns and spread it out among the boys to try and make up the difference.
The lot typically loses one or two trees a year and the Scouts give four of their trees to local charities, Doerr said.
"We figure people need them worse than we do, and we'll just write that off," Doerr said.
But the loss of 34 trees irks Doerr, who said the Scouts had to jump through governmental hoops to get the proper permitting and permission to sell the trees.
"Somebody is taking these trees and they're sitting on a street corner some place and they are selling them," he said.
Doerr said people who buy the trees probably won't even realize they're buying stolen goods.
The Scouts have been selling the trees at the lot in front of the bank since 1982 or 1983 and most of their customers are repeat business, Doerr said.
Oh, let’s just Celibrate Diversity, and Coexist!
Someone didn’t Live by the Scout Law.
Now opening in Prince William County: Paco’s Felice Navidad Christmas Tree Emporium.
I’ll bet those Scouts could go steal some fir trees and make a profit. Nobody guards them.
Oh, wait... forget I said that. ;)
Someone post an address so Freepers can send money to help the boy scouts.
Actually, seeing the United Way have a tree-sale fundraiser would also be the potential outcome...
I’m working on that part (see above).
Lemme know address and I’ll be happy to donate.
$1500? Based on prices around here, that’s what, 6 trees?
Get it right - they were “holiday” trees.
ya’ll are amazing! That’s why I love FR!
Fox 5 DC ran this story tonight on the 1000 news, but they haven’t posted it on their site yet so I searched for a link to be able to post it and found this one. I’ll post any updates.
Probably Marsha Weinerman of Cambridge. The Scouts were being too "political" I guess.
If we can get 100 Freepers to send $10 (on avg.) each, that would go a LONG way towards making up for their loss. If people can give more, well..... that’s even better!
Terrific! I will ping you as soon as I hear back from the Scoutmaster(s)!
==============================================
Dear Mrs. XXXXXXXX,
Thank you for your kind offer. If you would like to make a donation, I recommend sending them to our Chartered Organization, the Elks Lodge. I would address as follows:
Woodbridge Elks Lodge No 2355
C/O Boy Scout Troop 1390/Christmas Trees
14602 Minnieville Road
Woodbridge, VA 22193
Our boys will appreciate this greatly. We have been interviewed by the local NBC, FOX, affiliates here in Northern Virginia. They asked our boys about what they thought, and they all said "disappointment that someone would steal from us." I told them the learning point here is not that some knucklehead stole our trees, but 10-20+ kind people will come through. You are an example of that, and I hope the boys learn a very valuable lesson.
Most Sincerely,
Doug Doerr, Scoutmaster
Will do and thanks
By the way, per article, Doerr is our kind of guy!
“Doerr, a retired U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot.”
BTTT
Will get a check in the mail tomorrow! Thanks for the ping!
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