Redwood Empire Council BSA Camp & Activity Registration/ Cancellations/Refunds Policy
Revised September 1, 2017, updated July 1, 2023Council Camp and Activity Registrations are by Unit (with exceptions) It is important for everyone to be aware that council camps and activities are program services provided to youth members and families under the supervision of approved unit leaders. Most council camp and activity registrations are handled as unit registrations, and may not be recorded by individual members. We strongly encourage each unit to budget camp and activity fees within the unit budget, to utilize money-earning projects (popcorn sales, etc.) to help Scouts earn their own way, and whenever necessary, collect fees from individual Scouts, before transmitting camp and activity fees to the council as a unit, paid by check or electronic payment from the unit treasury or chartered organization. If a family chooses to make payment directly to the council for a camp or activity fee, they are doing so with the implied consent of the unit. Council accounting records are handled by unit, and not by individual participants, except for National Jamboree, National High Adventure Base, Order of the Arrow contingents, and particular events designed for individual participants (see below for details regarding these).Each chartered organization and unit committee is responsible for accounting of its own unit treasury and Scouting accounts, including Scouts’ dues and fees paid. The council does not have the capacity to intervene in unit accounting matters.
Cancellation if Necessary – Refunds Only in Very Limited Circumstances
Camp and activity payments by units are always transferable between unit participants, as the unit manages its own participant lists. So if a unit member changes his/her plans to attend after the unit has submitted registration, the unit may substitute another participant at no additional chargeIf a unit leader, unit representative, or parent indicates that a participant cannot attend a camp or activity due to medical necessity or serious family emergency (and the unit will become over-paid for that camp or activity), refund of that participant’s portion of unit fees may be refunded to the unit following a written request, with approval by the council camping or activities committee and related council staff advisor. If the cancellation request is made 14 or more days in advance of the camp or activity, the refund if approved will be up to 80 percent, and if the cancellation is made less than 14 days in advance, the refund if approved will be up to 60 percent. Cancellations on or after the starting date of the camp or activity will not be approved for refunds, including instances where participants leave before the conclusion of the camp or activity. This policy reflects the non-refundable nature of most camp and activity expenses borne by the council in preparing for the camp or activity. In the case of individual participants for National Jamboree, National High Adventure Base, or Order of the Arrow contingents, fees are not refundable due to the nature of expenses related to those contingent programs. The only exception will be if the contingent is completely full, and a person on the waiting list wishes to go in place of the paid participant wishing to cancel -- in such a case, a written request for a refund may be approved by the council camping committee after all other income and expenses have been reconciled.
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