Scout pack treasurer charged with stealing funds

SUMMERVILLE — A former bank official is accused of plundering more than $14,000 that her son's Cub Scout pack raised over months of selling popcorn to treat the boys to summer camp and other wholesome fun.

The parents of Pack 759 thought they could trust 38-year-old Wendy Thornbury when they named her treasurer in August. After all, she managed the Carolina First Bank branch on Old Trolley Road where the pack's account would be located, and her son had been involved in scouting for more than a year, authorities said.

But after the boys hustled to sell hundreds of popcorn tins and packages for their annual fundraiser, checks began to bounce in December and questions mounted about Thornbury's oversight, said Bill Everett, who became the pack's cubmaster in February.

Thornbury offered a litany of excuses, then stopped returning calls altogether, according to a police report. When pack officials checked the account on March 20, just $148 was left, authorities said.

Dorchester County sheriff's deputes charged Thornbury on March 25 with breach of trust with fraudulent intent. She posted $5,000 bail and was released from jail the same day. She could not be reached for comment.

Mary Gentry, vice president of investor relations for Carolina First Bank, said Thornbury is no longer employed by the bank.

The investigation continues. Sheriff's Capt. James Nettles said detectives are still trying to determine what became of the money.

One pack official told deputies she suspected Thornbury spent the money on beauty pageant fees for her daughter and trips to Florida so the girl could try out for Walt Disney kids' programs, a police report stated.

Everett said pack officials think they can scrape together enough money from the group's remaining accounts to send the hard-working boys to summer camp, as planned. "But after we do that, there's no money left for anything else," he said.

That means they can't pay for award ceremonies, activity badges or an annual "bridging ceremony" to recognize boys moving to the next level of scouting. Pack officials have kept details of the theft from the boys so as to not to disappoint them as parents discuss new fundraisers, a hike in dues or other alternatives to cover the loss, Everett said.

"The unfortunate thing is it's going to put a strain on their pack," said Legare Clement, executive of Boy Scouting for the Coastal Carolina Council. "That's the real tragedy of it. She's taken money from a group of first- through fifth-graders who basically sold popcorn to support their activities."

The Coastal Carolina Council also lost a good chunk of money it was owed from the sales, Clement said. The council has the paid the distributor's bill for the popcorn and is hoping restitution will be made so the loss won't eat into its camping budget, he said.

Reach Glenn Smith at 937-5556 or gsmith@postandcourier.com.