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KERNEL JOURNAL – Aug. 21, 2025

In this issue:

• Show & Sell Product Pickup
• Upcoming dates to know
• Weekly “Fill-It-Up” begins Sept. 23
• Add-on Additional Ordering
• Kroger Show & Sell Locations
• Extra Order Forms Available
• Units & Scouts can still commit to sell
• Questions & Answers

UPCOMING DATES TO KNOW – (Guidebook Pages listed for more info)

• Aug. 23 – Sale Begins – GOOD LUCK!
• Aug. 26 – Product Order #2 due on Pecatonica website. (Page 16)
• Sept. 10-12 - Product Order #2 distribution, details to be determined
• Sept. 11 – Early Bird Sale ends; submit unit orders directly to jim.mason@scouting.org
• Sept. 12 – Product Return to Council Date (No. 1 of 3) (Page 19)
• Oct. 1 – First Payment due (50% of unit balance) (Page 19)
• Oct. 1 - Product Return to Council Date (No. 2 of 3) (Page 19)

Full list of dates in Kernel Guidebook and Popcorn calendar webpage [here]

SHOW & SELL PRODUCT PICKUP IS AUG. 22

The first product pickups are Aug. 22 and unit kernels were emailed this week information about scheduling a time to pickup at the warehouse by Jim Mason.

FILL-IT-UP PRIZES ARE READY

Each week we will have prizes for the Scouts who submit their completed “filled up” order forms. A popcorn Week begins on Saturday, ends on Friday, See Page 21 of the Kernel Guidebook on process for weekly submissions. Weeks were outlined in last week’s Kernel Journal. Week 1 is Aug. 23-29; Week 2: Aug. 30-Sept. 5 (Double Prize Week); and so on. Prizes will be featured in an upcoming Kernel Journal. Full details on how to on Page 21 of the Unit Kernel Guidebook.

ADD-ON ORDERING FOR ADDITIONAL PRODUCT

During the sale, we will attempt to have additional product for pickup as needed. There’s a simple online form to complete, with orders based on a case. [CLICK HERE] to order product, or via blue box link on the popcorn webpage.  Jim will send an email to confirm product availability of your request. Requests are due by noon each Monday, for pickup Friday afternoons. Details are on Page 18 of Kernel Guidebook.

KROGER SHOW & SELL OPTIONS AVAILABLE

Great news from Kroger Corporate based in Columbus this week as they will grant one weekend (Sept. 19-21) to Scouting for Show & Sell locations. Unfortunately, from the Columbus office, there are just 4 locations we currently have secured. There are 2 in Findlay, 1 in Fostoria, 1 in Tiffin. Other locations we have requested information about permissions.

Times are Friday, from 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sign-up on our Sign-up Gensis [HERE]. Slots are divided into 2-hour windows, and they are first-come, first-serve.

These are the only times the company has granted us. Units are NOT to contact Kroger individually. If we can connect with Kroger Corp. for stores in Defiance and St. Marys, we will update.

EXTRA ORDER FORMS AVAILABLE

There is supply of extra order forms in a front/back format, with products displayed on one side, and ordering lines on the other. Contact Jim Mason for forms. This 2-page version is also available as a PDF download from the council popcorn webpage.

STILL TIME TO COMMIT & SELL

Your unit can still register and sell if you have not committed. Contact your district kernel or Jim Mason to discuss and ask questions. It can be Show & Sell, Take Order, and/or Online Sale. Instructions on how-to register your unit on the Pecatonica website are onlined in the gray box on the popcorn webpage [HERE].

HELPFUL VEHICLE LOADING TIPS

This guide assumes that the vehicle is empty, and seats have been removed where possible. Units must be prepared to load their vehicle.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q: Help me understand the following:

A:

1. Ordering Guidelines: CASE quantities only; all cases come with 8 containers, except the Cheese Lovers, which is 1 container per case. Order Limit - No limit, but council reserves the right to adjust. Adjustments - Changes can be made until the system closes.
2. Ordering Methods: 1.) Online: Click NEW ORDER button on your Scout Boss Dashboard (Preferred Method).

Please contact Jim Mason if you have difficulty logging in to your account or request a password reset by clicking the button below.

Q: Why is the “Early Bird Sale” have a different type of process and date?

A: This option is for units not wanting to commit a significant amount of time to the product sale and orders will likely be filled by warehouse stock.

Q: Where’s the popcorn warehouse located?

A: Ohio Logistics, 6000 Fostoria Ave., Findlay OH 45840. The docking bay door is located on the south-east corner of the facility, and vehicles are able to enter, load, and depart from the same door.

Q: Will my product be OK during the community festival?

A: Inventory control is the responsibility of each unit. Please note Pecatonica’s recommendation is all products remain in a climate with a temperature no higher than 84 degrees.

Question on FB group page: How are you planning on running storefronts? Since Pecatonica doesn't provide the capability to run it from their app I am not sure how to run one. We will have 4 shifts during each storefront where different scouts will run a 2 hour time block. Are you using Square to run it with your inventory inserted in Square and you create the sale through there? Are you having each Scout use the paper forms that they provided us and they have to fill out each sale as they do the storefront? Hand them into me at end of shift. Unless I am missing something I see no training videos on how to run a storefront with sales. This would also apply to neighborhood popcorn blitzes. Please help!

Answers: 1.) have a spreadsheet made up where items are tallied per 2 hour shift. I even did this with trails end so I could keep track of inventory easier. I also will be using square for CC purchases. 2.) We plan to take the total sales for each sale and come up with an hourly rate. Then each Scout will get credit for each hour they work. This is how we had it set up in Trails End so we are continuing the same system but we will have to do the math ourselves, unfortunately. Example:  Sales were $1000, we had 4 shifts of 3 Scouts each. So 12 hours, $1000/12=$83 per hour. I'm pretty sure you can only transfer sales in full product quantities so we will do our best to distribute the inventory sold as evenly as possible. We are using square for credit cards, I have not looked into the inventory management aspect of that. I plan to have a starting list and and an ending total and will do the inventory manually also.

- thank you for using the Black Swamp Area Council Popcorn Facebook group to seek others help and guidance; and thank you to everyone helping others

We're looking forward to seeing you have a successful sale this year!

Council Popcorn Leadership Team

Please contact your district kernel or staff advisor Jim Mason directly if you have questions. Do not call the office with popcorn sale inquiries.