In many ways, it is a Bridgeport tradition. In a lot of other ways, it was a tradition that helped a lot of people who necessarily were unable to help themselves.

 

You can now officially add it to the list as the latest victim of rising prices and inflation.

 

For the first time in more than 15 years, the annual Bridgeport Troop 40 Mulch Sale will not be taking place. While that may not seem like a big deal to some and not necessarily a topic for a blog, I would disagree and I am going to explain – with the help of Scoutmaster Jason Hosaflook – why this is a big deal.

 

The mulch sale has been a warm weather tradition for more than a decade and a half. Hosaflook thinks perhaps for 17 years, but at least 15. There is nothing he, other Troop 40 leaders, and their members would like to do more than continue the program and make the mulch available.

 

“It was something most of us looked forward to, even though it was a lot of work. We’d start taking orders officially at the end of March to the end of May, and sometimes into June,” said Hosaflook of the sale ran through the group’s foundation, The Friends of Troop 40.

 

During most of that time, the profits were plentiful, and into the thousands. The last year in particular, the profits were still in the thousands, but not reasonable for the time put in.

 

“We made between $7,000 and $8,000 last year, but you have to understand that was for three months works. That’s every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from March to June,” said Hosaflook. “Most of the time, the same core of leaders using their trucks and the same core of boys always doing the work. That’s a lot of work for that amount of money.”

 

With gas still high even though it has come down a bit, the high price of acquiring the mulch made the Troop think it over. Based on the numbers, it may have seemed like an easy decision – it was not. In fact, it was difficult for reasons beyond money.

 

“It was almost all delivery and a lot of that delivery saw our Troop members and leaders get out and spread the mulch. What makes it difficult is that we did it for the elderly,” said Hosaflook. “That certainly helped them, but it helped with what we’re trying to instill, and that is community service.

 

“We have had some of the same people buy the mulch since it started and now we just can’t afford to do it,” he continued. “That is what make this such a tough decision.”

 

Hosaflook said with gas still higher than almost every single year of the mulch sale, another year of taking a hit in the wallet there was also starting to hurt.

 

“We have never asked the Troop to reimburse us for gas for delivery, nor would we,” said Hosaflook. “But you have several leaders using their trucks for delivery several of times a day and you end up filling up the truck a couple of times and you’re staring at $100. When you throw in some of the leaders doing side deliveries during the week that was a lot of money.”

 

The bad news is those needing to buy the mulch, which was not only high quality and affordable, and have it spread as part of the purchase price, are going to be without that service. Unfortunately, it is a sign of the financial times that appear to have no cure in sight.

 

The good news? The annual chili feed is coming up. And as they are exploring multiple new fundraising avenues, they have already begun the process to host the Troop’s first-ever golf tournament in the months ahead at the Bridgeport Country Club.

 

“We expect to make close to, and possibly more, during the one-day tournament than we did each of the last couple of years during the mulch sale,” said Hosaflook. “That makes us feel good, but knowing that some of the people who count on us to buy and spread their mulch will have to go another route is worrisome. We’re hoping to give them as much time as possible to find a new way to get things done.”

 

For those wanting to assist Bridgeport Troop 40 on the monetary front, you can contact Hosaflook by email at hosscrna@frontier.com or by phone at 304-838-3906.