Yellowknife (Oct 15/03) - You might surprised to find out just how much money it takes to run a scout troop.

"We do a lot of things that require a lot of money," said Michael Kalnay, Provincial Comissioner of the NWT and Nunavut council of Scouts Canada.

On Saturday, Yellowknife's First Scout Troop paid tribute to a man who helped raise $100,000 for the 80 memeber group over the course of three years.

Beaton Mackenize was given a Medal of Honour -- the highest award the NWT/ Nunavut council of Scouts Canada can give -- for his work as head of the troop's fundraising committee in the mid to late 1990s.

"Beaton knows how to raise money," joked Kalnay.

"If things need to get done, he does them."

MacKenzie, who first got involved with scouts about eight years ago, says there's no real art to raising money.

"You just have to keep working at it," he said.

"People in the community are extremely supportive of scouting."

MacKenzie organized a host of activities to during time as chairperson of the fundraising committee, including a $20,000 boat raffle.

"I like the challenge of fundraising," he said.

"There's something satisfying about taking on a role... working towards a goal and leaving it better off than you found it." The money MacKenzie helped raise was used to finance trips to a number of jamborees, including one in Chile and another in Thunder Bay, Ont.

It also allowed the scouts to go on a snowmobile trip to Pontoon Lake and host of other outdoor activities.

"It's important for kids to get outdoors and experience the things Scouts have to offer," he said. "It provides them with (valuable) life skills." Fundraising and dealing with money also give scouts invaluable experience in the business world said Kalnay.

"When it comes time for them to get a job, they'll be able to draw on the experience they gained while with the scouts."