Five years ago, Cub Scout Pack 311 in Valley Village, California, had a celebrity stop by and make a contribution while the pack was selling popcorn at a grocery store.
A couple of weeks ago, the same pack, selling popcorn at the same grocery store, was once again approached by a celebrity who was more than willing to contribute to the cause.
This time it was Reba McEntire, one of the most successful recording artists of all time, who just happened to be shopping (by herself!) when she noticed the Cub Scouts selling popcorn and walked over to say hello.
“She was very nice,” says Pack 311 popcorn kernel Aaron Picot. “She was smiling brightly the whole time and chatting with us.”
Picot says he doesn’t think the Cub Scouts knew who she was, but they must have handled themselves well enough — McEntire walked out with three bags of popcorn.
McEntire was born in Oklahoma and spends much of her time in Nashville, Tennessee. However, she’s likely in California to film The Voice, the popular reality singing competition show that she hosts alongside some of the music industry’s biggest names.
McEntire has sold more than 75 million records in her career and appeared in multiple movies and TV shows, including Reba, her own sitcom that ran for six seasons on The WB.
In 1992, she opened Reba’s Ranch House, built for families who have a loved one hospitalized in North Texas or South Oklahoma.
Why do Scouts sell popcorn?
Since 1980, BSA members have sold popcorn to offset the costs of experiences such as day camps, summer camps, high-adventure camps and exciting activities at the unit level. Scouts can even sell popcorn to pay for a trip to the National Scout Jamboree or a trip overseas.
The process of selling popcorn also teaches skills that Scouts can take with them into adulthood, like decision making, money management, goal setting, business ethics, entrepreneurship and people skills.
The smartest way to sell popcorn as a fundraising tool for your unit is to follow the guidance of your local council. That way, you’re guaranteed to be partnered up with an authorized, licensed supplier, which helps support the brand, and Scouting itself.
If your unit isn’t selling popcorn already, now is the time. Contact your local council to get everything you need to get started fundraising in time for the fall.
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