Need your suggestions or advice on an idea.

[Scoutfish]

I have an inkling of an idea that I want to try.

 

I have two tents that have been in storage for about 19 and 16 years . They are both in immaculate shape. They wren't stored in a shed or garage , but inside in a hutch I had in my bedroom at my mom's house. I just drug them out a few hours ago and set them up( mostly).

 

One tent is your basic pup tent: "Supposed" to be a two man tent. Basis A-frame design with zippered door on one end and a 9" X 9" triangle vent on the other end. Uses two (3-piece) honest to goodness aluminum poles on each end as verticle supports and uses string anchored by a stake to hold poles up straight which in turn holds the tent up. The sides are the normal tent material with the sealed and coated floor that rises up at least 6" off the ground.

 

The other tent is a 6 sided dome tent. Has 3 seperate segmented graphite flex poles that feed through the sewn in sleeves to support tent. Same coated and sealed floor , same material and has detachable rain fly( if you really can call it that).

 

Both tents have been used 3 times or less ( A-frame used twice, dome 3 times).

 

So anyways, I have a newer (much bigger) 5 man tent to fit me and my son.

 

Well, honestly, I just forgot about the other two tents when I bought the new one last year.

 

 

Let me point out that these two tents are in immaculate shape: no tears, no rips, no fading, no discoloring and work well for the type and amount of camping my pack does. You wouldn't go camping in snow or high adventure, but basic cub camping is perfect!

 

 

So here is my idea: I want to give the tents away to two different scouts.

 

I just don't know how I should do it.

 

WE run a Sept. to June program in my pack with 3 different summer fun days during summer break.

 

Maybe I could take the names of all the boys who attend all 3 fun days and have a drawing for the tents?

 

Maybe give them to 2 scouts who have perfect attendance for the year or show themselves to be most scoutlike during the year?

 

Maybe who completes the most beltloops or activity badges?

 

Maybe find two cubs who might not be able to afford tents? Of course, the A-Frame is not a family size tent. It would be a stretch for me and my son to sleep a weekend in it - although possible. The dome would be comfortable for at least 2, maybe 3 dependning on your size.

 

Anyways, I want to give these two perfectly good tents in great shape away instead of them spending their lives in storage or throwing out two perfectly fine- just like new tents in the trash.

 

So.....what would you suggest?

 

ALL IDEAS will be appreciated!

[Novice_Cubmaster]

Scoutfish,

 

how bout this... Donate them to the pack for the Webelos to use. Our pack had 3-4 tents that the Web's took on our Webelos-only campout, and could use at family campouts if ok with their parents. Great for controlled independence.

 

NC

[moosetracker]

Well I wouldn't do the beltloops / activity badges.. Just because of what I have heard of pencil-whipping parents.. You may be awarding the scout that did the least and has dishonest/confused parents.

 

Personnally I like the scouts-in need (can't afford) or Novice idea to donate..

 

Just me. I remember when I was very young, (maybe 5) I wanted to give my friends gifts. I wrapped up items that were in very good condition, that I loved and thought they would too, but they were used. I presented them with pride and was crushed that they chewed me out for giving them used gifts.. So my veiw over gifting used items is tainted.

 

 

[denleader09]

I like the idea of donating to the pack. They would be great use to learn how to set up tents or could be used by scouts in need.

 

Another idea for using the tents would be as a reward for community service. Maybe for the scout(s) who show up to 3 community service projects? HTH!

[OwntheNight]

Got to agree with NC. Donate them to the pack, let the Webelos use them on the Web only campouts. Remember, you are now transitioning them to join a boy scout troop where they will be in a tent with their patrol mates. How empowered will they feel when they get to set up their own tent and sleep in it without Mom or Dad in it? Save the competition stuff for the program year. A good pie in the face of the DL for beltloops or activity pins earned can be a great motivator for the boys. They'll remember that moment more than winning a tent for scout spirit or attendance. Have them create a den flag at the beginning of the year, and then award the flag to one of the scouts at the end of the year for whatever criteria you want. Sometimes it's not about the "stuff" they get, but the memories they'll remember forever.

[Basementdweller]

I would donate it to the Pack.

 

Had some bad experiences donating directly to scouts gear getting sold, or scouts not showing up with it to the outing. Or Getting destroyed 5 minutes after it was given to the scout.

 

 

We had a couple of Webelos, screw up a troop tent on Troop camp out and now the webelos are not permitted to use troop tents.

[Eagle92]

Ditto everyone else saying give it to the pack for the Webelos to use. OR those new families who don't have camping gear. My pack has filed for federal surplus permit to buy gear for the pack. One item on the list is tents for the new families.

[Scoutfish]

So it's unanimous: Give it to the boy with the most beltloops!

 

OKay - I'll give it to the Pack, with the condition that the Webelos only use it OR that Webelos get first dibs on using them.

 

Works for me.

[Basementdweller]

Moose.......

 

I am not sure about your experience or where you live....

 

Most poor people are poor for a reason, Up bringing, attitude, planning, education. Most cases it is pretty easy to fix the problem. Get an education, if your poor it will be free.

 

With that said, what is the absolute first thing they buy for their Cub scout, in some case before the uniform, A Tent.

 

Got a donated tent from a store, the family rushed outside and set it up for the world to see. While mom and dad were standing around smoking and talking to the other parents not watching their kids. Not sure exactly what happened but I came out just in time to see it pitched into the dumpster. I took it out of the dumpster after they left.....Big hole in the side of the tent looked like a knife cut and most of the poles were bent......

 

How about the sleeping bags that ended up on Craigslist........ Nope not gonna donate any more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[moosetracker]

basementdweller - Although I don't think education is easy for very poor people. Children may be dealing with little supervision, having to care for younger siblings, having to get a job early to help support the family.. Alot of moving around due to being kicked out of where you lived, etc.. But, if possible Education is the way out.

 

But, I am not sure where my post started a debate about the poor.. I was just stating young kid stupidity that gifting from the heart, didn't mean much if the item wasn't new.. I wasn't gifting used items because I was poor, but giving gifts to friends was never a tradition and I wanted to give gifts that year. At five you really don't have the money or the vehicle..

 

I didn't know that a tent was the first thing bought. Most Troops supply them.. Packs are more family camping, so maybe that's when they are bought. Our Pack wasn't really campers. I think the only one we did was once a year the Pack would do family camping at the end of Summer just before school let out. We already had a family style tent.

[Maine_scout_mom]

I think donating it to your Pack is an excelent idea. Our pack had several 2 man used tents that are kept in our supply trailor just in case. Maybe someone wants to go but doesn't have one? What if they've never been camping, they wouldn't want to buy a tent til they knew they would do it again? What if someone sets up their tent only to find a pole broken or a hole in it. Things happen, scouts need to "Be Prepared", these tents are a "plan B"!