Yes.  This is very important.  We want each of your Scouts to get the prize/gift card that they earned, so please take a moment to 1) Make sure each of the Scouts on Popcorn roster are registered (on your kernel dashboard); and 2) Help to make parents aware that they need to create an account so their child’s prize can be sent to them.  

The new automated prize program helps to send prizes directly to your Scouts.  As a kernel, this means less time tracking prize orders, placing prize orders, distributing prizes etc.  But this also means we need a secure way to ensure a Scout’s prize get’s delivered to them.  By creating an account with a parent, we’ve created a safe way that meets Child Internet Protection laws (CIPA) for Scouts to have fun selling popcorn and easily redeem their prize electronically.

Here are a few guiding suggestions that we have heard from other kernels that might help you:

1) Reinforce the importance of taking a moment to create the account by reminding them that is they are going to securely receive their Scouts electronic gift card prize.  We have found that most parents are interested in making sure their child gets the prize they earned.

2) If personal information is a concern, suggest they create the account with a new Scout Popcorn email address.  Creating new accounts on gmail, yahoo, etc. is free and easy.

3)If computer access or navigation is difficult, consider taking a laptop or tablet to a meeting, or ask Den Leaders to help walk a parent through it at their meeting.

4) If parents still refuse or are non-responsive, a few kernels have created an account on behalf of a Scout and notified the parents.  While this is not ideal for your record keeping or future year’s sales, it may provide a short term solution.  A final and last resort option would be to credit the Scouts sales to a generic Unit Scout account created by the kernel.  The kernel could then use the Amazon funds to purchase an amazon gift card online to give to the Scout.

5) Lastly, in this instance, some units have also offered the family to work something out at a unit level.  For example, the unit will process and collect the gift card (to use for unit items), and then provide the appropriate prize credit amount to Scout (for example through a camp credit).

Since the prize program is a quicker more automated process, we have adjusted the prize order date to better align with final payment.  This is because the system will not allow you to submit your prize order until after you have a $0 balance due.  

However, you should still work to make sure all of your Scout’s sales totals are properly recorded on the Overall Sales page of your kernel leader dashboard.  We ask that you have this action complete by Nov. 15th so that we can pull prize reports for bonus prizes etc.  Then once your final payment is made, all you have to do is hit the button to submit your prize orders.

• Before Placing Your Prize Order – Ensure each qualifying Scout has a valid email address through their account in the Trail’s End system.
• By November 15th – Ensure all Scout Sales totals are accurately logged in the app.
• By December 4th – Ensure final payment is made and regular prize order is submitted.
• Note: If you wish to receive prizes sooner, prize orders can be submitted once your final payment is complete.

The electronic gift card for the regular prize program will show up in your Scouts’s Popcorn accounts 7 days after you submit your prize order.
Please note, your unit’s final popcorn payment must be made before you can submit your prize order.

Bonus Club prizes and patches will not be available until the sale concludes at the end of December.  To help automate this, we will pull the prize report on Nov. 15th so that we can see everyone who reached the various prize levels.  

Bonus prizes are an additional local incentive and will be processed separately from the regular prize order. Note: Assuming your Scout’s sale’s totals are properly logged in the app by Nov. 15th, all Bonus Clubs will automatically be processed based on the recorded Scout Sales Totals.

All patches will be automatically ordered based on the sales total recorded in the popcorn system. These will be available for pick up from the Scout Achievement Center after the sale.

These items will be available for pickup by your unit at the Scout Achievement Center at the main front desk. We’ll notify you when these are ready for pickup. Your unit kernel or assigned representative will need to sign that the received them. Because these are certificates and gift cards, please ensure you have all items listed on the envelope prior to signing and leaving.  Please distribute them at your next unit meeting.

The first possibility is that they haven’t created an account yet, or created one in the wrong place.  If the Scout or parent says they’ve created a Trail’s End Popcorn account at www.trails-end.com/login, then it’s possible they selected the wrong unit.  One common mistake is selecting the Troop instead of the Pack.  Remember that in Dan Beard Council, all of our Packs have a leading 3 identifier.  So Pack 5 shows up as Pack 3005.  Pack 438 shows up as Pack 3438.   

Scouts can be transferred to another unit as long as they do not have credit card transactions attached to their account.  The unit they are currently registered to needs to initiate the transfer.  If credit card transactions have occurred, the Scout must be transferred by Trail’s End by contacting support@trails-end.com.

If you have Scouts in your unit who reached the 1,750 Point Top Seller Club bonus prize level, then we will provide a voucher in your bonus prize envelope to present to them. 

Important: Please note, registration is required for this special event.  The voucher cannot be redeemed at Dave & Busters and is meant as a recognition/notification piece.

Additional details will be posted about the VIP Game event here:  www.danbeard.org/popcorn-top-seller