ideas for a arrow of light crossover gift

[webeloleader86]

I have some boys that have been with me since tiger and the others since wolf. I really want to give them something that can show all their achievements over the years and be really special to them. So far I've found nothing online.

[resqman]

I handled it this way. Collected money from the parents to pay for the AOL cermony and "awards". I had a grandfather of one of the boys use a router to carve the arrow of light into a board and put a decorative edge around the board. I stained and polyurethened the board. We had metal plates engraved with the boys name, pack number, and date and affixed them to the presentation board. Ordered bone tip, turkey feather fletching, hand made by a Native American arrows and mounted them on the presentation board. Made tangles from a leather thong. The thong had colored beads indicating their ranks on one leg and colored beads indicateing the webelos activity pins on the other leg. The ends of the thongs had turkey hackle feathers tied on with imitation sinew. The dangles were tied to the presentation arrow.

 

The Pack provided a standard BSA framed certificate indicating AOL award.

 

We had a big cermony where the Den leaders dressed in native american style costumes I had custom sewn and later dontated to the Pack. Made a "medicine man" head dress from a Viking style horned helmet covered in faux fur to look like a buffalo. Got two pony tail black wigs during halloween for the Indian Braves and a feather headdress for the chief.

 

I personally carved the three finger Boy Scout salute neckerchief slide for each of my den members. The first one took the longest trying to figure out how to do it. I can carve the 3 finger salute slide in about 1.5 hours from start to finish now. There is a website where a fella carves the slide ($8.50) or can provide you plaster of paris copies of a slide he carved for about $2 each. http://scoutguy.com/handcarved.htm

 

The webleos den leaders signed and wrote a brief note to the boy on the back of the presentation arrow boards.

[Vigil-Hiker]

Our pack designed a special certificate to present to the over-achievers who earned every Activity Badge.

 

Other than that, it has been up to each Webelos den leader to decide on what to present each one with.

 

I am considering making arrows for each. Use color bands to indicate ranks earned (have not decided on using small strips of colored tape, painting, or using colored thread). Orange for Tiger, Red for Wolf, light blue for bear, etc. Not sure how to do the Coup count for arrow points and any special awards earned (religious award, Leave-no-Trace, World Conservation, etc).

 

Another option, walking stick/stave and decorate similar to above or get them the staff emblems and put on it. Some troops use staves on hikes, others don't.

 

If you are looking to purchase something they could use once the cross-over, consider items like: boy scout pocket knife, utensil kit, waterproof match case, hot spark kit, compass, etc. I still have my original ones from 30 years ago (OMG time flies) and use them for cubscout hikes/camping, and when camping with just the family.

 

If you want to get a them a flash light - headlamps are easier when it come use, not sure on durability - still testing one. Or get them a maglight - used a mini since 1985 for every campout, changed bulbs maybe twice since I got it and change batteries once or twice a year.

[Gunny2862]

Have you the knowledge(it's pretty easy)of how to leather stamp?

The Leather hand grip for a hiking stick is pretty reasonable and so are the lettering sets - especially with future use or when loaned by another scouter.

So, maybe the Scout emblem to show their "hopefully upcoming" status, an arrow of light stamp to show their recent achievement, and stamp in the pack number"Pack xx".

This also gives them a reminder of where they've been as they progress through Scouting. We are putting new mementos on our grips as we go on special trips and putting the occasional medallion on the stick, also.

[insanescouter]

There are a few things I can think of...

 

1) my most treasured postions from my time as a Cub are my pine wood derby cars (so maybe some kind of shadow box for them would be nice) and the arrow I received from Akela when I received my Arrow of Light which to this day still hangs proudly on my wall.

 

2) A shadow box of sorts for their blue uniform and patches

 

3) Some kind of patch blanket or vets

 

4) A keep sake memories photo / scrap book

 

5) Lastly specific to your question... my acheivments not the patches but the cards, certificates, etc are stored in a binder using sport card sheets, page protectors, and other kinds of orgnizers based on size needed like maybe the cd, floppy or zipdisk plastic protectors for binders.

 

Hope my wacky 2 cents were of some help...

 

Scott Robertson

http://insanescouter.org

[local1400]

"Made tangles from a leather thong." Whether it be leather or silk, I hate it when my thong gets tangled.

[Cubmaster Mike]

The Pack gives each AOL winner a ceremonial arrow at AOL ceremony. Usually we make the ones they sell though national supply. Pretty nice.

 

At the crossover, before they go over the bridge, as the Cubmaster I would give each boy a cub scout coin (the square one available in teh scout shop).

 

I tell them that when they cross over the bridge they will no longer be cub scouts. The coin has the cub scout promise and the motto on it and I hope that when they look at it in the future, they will remember fondly all the fun things we did together. They seem to really like it.

 

CMM

[standerson]

One of the dads makes a wonder arrows for presentation to the AOL receipents. Side note: Our son will be getting his this year. I will be giving him the patch and pin that my father present me when I was 10 years old (1967).

[orennoah]

For his AOL, I gave my godson an engraved titanium spork.

 

Rather than looking back on his achievements as a Cub, I focused on the challenges he was taking on as a Boy Scout.

 

BTW, he's now the SPL of his Troop and uses his spork on every outing.

 

- Oren

[Viejocr]

I like the Spork idea... focus on the future not on the past. The Spork is something to take along with you on your outings & could even be a memorabilia to share with their kids when they fathers.

[acco40]

Memorabilia is for adults. We made arrows (colored bands for rank, arrow points and other awards - each color signifying something different) and attached to the arrow was a laminated card with a synopsis of all of their awards as well as some beads and feathers. The next year we did the same and also included a nice display board for the arrow. His mother also made a shadow box containing his rank patches, Webelos colors, den/pack numerals, council strip, World Crest, Conservation Award, Religious knot, etc.

 

We gave our Scouts a Silva Compass and The Boy Scout Handbook. The most prized "gift" was the Troop neckerchief they received and the red shoulder loops. Now, many years later their opinion changes but you have to determine if you want something they would like that day the best or later on when they are 21, 30, a father, etc.

[BrentAllen]

If you are looking for Honor Arrows that can show the Webelos'' achievements with beads, check out Tatanka Arrows.

http://members.aol.com/TatankaScouts/page0003.html

 

When my son''s den crossed over back in March, we gave them all BSA Stay Glow Climbers Swiss Army knives (Victorinox). These were a big hit, and they really do glow in the dark! Another plus is the boys can write their names on them with a Sharpie, and it is easily read and doesn''t rub off.

http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?ctlg=05NDC&ctgy=PRODUCTS&c2=CAMPING&c3=KNIVES&c4=&lv=3&item=12160