Arrow of Light and Webelos Crossover Momento

[melmac65]

I made small medicine bags with a silver charm reflecting their personality or character, beads representing earth (brown) and sky (blue), and an owl feather. The outside of the bag was decorated in a Native American pattern with Sharpies. Bags from Tandy/Leather Factory.

[ScoutMomOf3]

In an effort to keep my goal of recycling blue scout shirts within the Pack to those boys who cannot afford one, I came up with an idea years ago in my oldest son's Pack to do blue and gold shield banners whereby the outgoing Scout had something to place his pins, patches, den number, Pack number, etc. on as a keepsake. It has an arrow at the top of the shield and can hang on their wall. The families love it and so do the boys. It does not take very much effort to do and it makes a nice gift from the Pack.

[Knight]

We gave our boys arrows on a plaque shaped like the AOL emblem. They were very nice.

 

I also like the arrows that have colored stripes corresponding ot all the ranks and achievements the boys earned during their time as Cub Scouts.

[GNX Guy]

No arrow "kits" for my WEBELOS. I wanted to do something special. Just finished hand making our arrow plaques. Red oak with a sun ray routed in, routered edges, stained, and polyurethaned, black brass plate with name, pack and date. Affixed a "real" American Indian arrow made by the Blackfeet Indian Tribe from Montana. (That I personally picked out on the reservation) No mail order stuff. Attached to the arrow are real feathers. Then instead of the old painting the stripes on the arrow thing, I purchased real wooden beads. A different shape bead for each rank / award and put them on a string to hang from the plaque. As a momento I also am giving them a real raccoon claw hung from a leather thong that they can wear around their neck or hang from their arrow of light plaque. The claws were also obtained from the Blackfeet Indian reservation in Montana when I was there last summer.

 

Each boy crossing over gets a neckerchief and slide, scout book, troop numbers and red appletes and a Troop hat.

 

 

[ScoutMomOf3]

GNX Guy ~ I would love to see a picture of the plaque. It sounds beautiful and the boys will definitely keep that forever! Can you share a photo? Send to sha_munoz@cmeenterprise.com. Many thanks!

 

[BrotherhoodWWW]

melmac65 posted:

I made small medicine bags with a silver charm reflecting their personality or character, beads representing earth (brown) and sky (blue), and an owl feather. The outside of the bag was decorated in a Native American pattern with Sharpies. Bags from Tandy/Leather Factor

 

OWl feather? Just simple possesion of a feather from an Owl is a violation of the Endangered Species Act. Ya might want to rethink this one.

 

The year that I was CM I made an arrow for each boy. I cut sucker branches that were shooting up from my garden, attached mallard wing feathers and arrowheads made from black walnut. The boys seemed to like them.

[GNX Guy]

Will do on the photos.

 

I like the medicine bag idea.

 

 

[jeffsalzman@roadrunner.co]

Not sure if this resource has already been posted, but if you are looking for nice quality, inexpensive arrowhead replicas this is a great source http://www.nature-watch.com/cgi-bin/naturewatch/204.html

 

These are NOT the cheesy plastic arrowheads, they look and feel like the "real thing". Hope that helps.

[Gunny2862]

As a Scoutmaster, I have made a leather arrowhead cutout with the Scout Emblem, Webelos name, date of Crossover, the Troop and Pack #s all hand stamped by me and an AOL for those boys who have earned it. And a leather thong punched thru a corner and tied with a joining knot.

Once you buy the stamps, it only costs about 1.75 and about 10- 15, minutes per boy. We also give handbooks, red loops, a troop t-shirt, a bolo tie, and a pen to all crossovers. But we do require the registration or transfer fees to be paid prior to the crossover ceremony - if they cross to us they have tended to show up to meetings (so far).

[beaverlbc]

I saw several very interesting ideas that I have noted.

 

My husband is a flintknapper so he makes his own arrows (placed on a plaque with name & date AOL earned)to give to those earning that award. Each plaque also has a larger point (more like spear size). The boys love them and yes the real thing is much nicer than plastic arrow points--for those who have access.

 

As I was reading through these ideas, I realized there is really two points being discussed here. What to give to those earning their AOL and what to give those boys crossing over. You can earn your AOL before the crossover month.

 

I did see a few things that concerned me as I read these messages.

Why is a Pack giving the Boy Scout Handbook and red epilets. These should be coming from the troop. Boys can not "crossover" unless they are going into a troop.

Also, any boy that has earned their AOL, part of the requirements for earning it is transfering to a troop. So I did not understand a comment made by one SM that said his troop quit giving handbooks to those crossing over because so many never showed up. He said they waited until the boys registered in the fall.

This is a concern because why are there not activities for the new Boy Scouts to participate over the summer? Why are they waiting to register in the fall?

One leader shared how his Webelos built their own Arrow and plaque. What about the boy that doesn't complete his AOL? What does he do with his? He made it but didn't earn it.

[ScoutNut]

"Why is a Pack giving the Boy Scout Handbook and red epilets. These should be coming from the troop."

 

Why? Where is this written?

 

Who gives the new boys their Handbook and shoulder loops, Pack, Troop, or their parents, is strictly a matter of unit tradition. Or finances if the unit can not afford to purchase them.

 

Our Pack gives our 5th grade Webelos a compass, their BS Handbook, their red shoulder loops and a slide as a crossover gift. We hope that these things will help encourage them to follow thru with joining the Troop and to encourage them to stay the course.

 

 

 

"Boys can not "crossover" unless they are going into a troop."

 

True, but they might change their minds and decide not to continue into Boy Scouts.

 

 

 

"Also, any boy that has earned their AOL, part of the requirements for earning it is transfering to a troop."

 

No, it is not. The requirement states to visit a Troop you might like to join and to have a conference with the Scoutmaster. That's it. Nothing about actually joining a Troop.

 

 

[SSScout]

My last year as Cubmaster, I had to take down a large Cherry tree in my yard. I announced the same to our Roundtable. More than a few SMs and CMs contacted me for the wood. I chainsawed off a number of "cookies" about 12 inches in diameter. They made excellent placques. I made three for the last AoL Cubs from my PAck. The cookies had a nice split in them, so I drilled an appropriately angled hole (that arrow sure hit hard!)and after I sanded them down smooth, I inserted an arrow stub. Some wood burning of names and words and a glued on Webelos symbol from the Scout Shop and I had three nice placques for our Packs last Webelos Scouts. Don't forget the hanger or routed groove in the back for hanging!

 

The accepting SMs awarded the new Scouts their Handbook, new necker slide and red loops.

[OneHour]

A compass such as a Silva Polaris Compass or Suunto A-10 Partner II, or a Brunton F-8010G (~$10-$15) will be very useful for them in boy scout.

[webdog]

We use to give them scout handbooks and red shoulder loops(I forgot the name (epital sp.).Well the ones never showed up and a $9 x x number can be pricey.So now we give the red loops and credit there passbook account after they register in Sept.

[beaverlbc]

"Why is a Pack giving the Boy Scout Handbook and red epilets. These should be coming from the troop."

"Why? Where is this written?"

 

You are right. It is not written anywhere. I appologize. That is just what most of the units in my area(s) over the years has done. I had never heard of a Pack giving those items.

 

"Also, any boy that has earned their AOL, part of the requirements for earning it is transfering to a troop."

 

"No, it is not. The requirement states to visit a Troop you might like to join and to have a conference with the Scoutmaster. That's it. Nothing about actually joining a Troop."

 

You are right again. I guess I need to "eat my beaver tail." I am thinking of old requirements that said you had to fill out the application and show it to your DL. Even that requirement didn'say you had to join, but it did give a stronger implication that the boy would transfer to a troop.