council option -- use activity participation patches?

[johndaigler]

My council uses these "optional" segment patches to celebrate Cub participation in any number of activities. They're small somewhat pie slice shaped and are placed in expanding circles about a round council patch on the red brag vest.

 

Do you use them? Do you have any customs, traditions, or policies regarding their distribution?? I'm just looking for background info as our Pack discusses their continued use . . .

 

WE use them prolifically, and are distributed at the discretion of the DL for Den Activities and the Advancement

[CaveEagle]

The Trans-Atlantic Coucil Has used their own Activity segments for years. They are really cool. They are still issued to wear around the 2.5" council patch on the temp patch location.

 

We have just started a similiar program for our troop. We had a "Troop" Round Patch made. We can now recognize scouts for activities where they don't get any other formal recognition. This seems to be very effective so far.

 

Now that we do not have "skill awards", the younger scouts do not get a lot of recognition (my opinion). We had some very active 1st-2nd year boys that were working on rank well enough, but would walk away from the COH with not much to sew on.

 

I am a strong supporter of activity segments.

 

CE

[Eamonn]

We as far as I know have never used such a thing.

Her That Must Be Obeyed, loves to walk away from a COH with not much to sew on. In fact when this happens she has been known to skip away and treat both the Nipper and I to a Dairy Queen.

Eamonn.(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

[ScoutNut]

We use them for just about everything. They are a LOT cheaper than the larger patches. Maybe not as fancy as the large ones, but you can't beat the price. And it looks so neat when the boys are Webelos and have 4,5, or more circles on the back of their vest.

[johndaigler]

Thanks for the input, so far.

 

If Cubs earn a belt loop through Den/Pack activities would you NOT give out the participation segment?

 

For example, at Day Camp boys earn Fishing, Archery and BB Gun Shooting belt loops. Would you also give those segments?? I see the blet loops and other "awards" as a record of Achievement and the segments as a record of participation. If the the red vest is the place to BRAG with those segments, shouldn't the segments be there as well as loops on the belt?

 

My Pack is discussing whether it should pay for both.

 

Thanks again,

 

jd

[Twocubdad]

How does this work? Are the segments generic or is the design of each segment specific to the activity? Is there a limit to the number of segments you can get? Do you complete the circle at some point or is it ever-expanding?

 

We don't have anything like that locally, but sounds like an interesting idea for pack awards.

[johndaigler]

2CD -

 

These patches are shaped like a slice of pie with a bite taken out of the pointed end so they can butt up against the round center patch. (If you're mathematically inclined, imagine an inverted isosceles trapezoid "\_/" bent around a circle!!). Each one is ~1/2 inch high and ~1 inch wide. As you complete each circle around the center patch, you just start a new "layer". Each patch is simple and unique. Our council keeps about 125 in stock, and I'm told more are available. For example, there's an American Flag, a hand shooting a marble, a tent, a swimmer, a popcorn box, a rocket, a pocket knife, etc. We use them for participation - just show up for the BlueNGold and you get the little segment for BlueNGold. They're not intended for achievement , but can make a great visual history of a boy's time as a Cub. If nothing else they're great memory-boosters.

 

 

jd(This message has been edited by johndaigler)

[SWScouter]

My pack uses the segments and so do I with my den. We get them from Ideal Emblems, it advertises in Scouter magazine. The segments cost me 35 cents each. The pack pays for those segments for pack activities and the den pays for den activity segments. Some examples of how we use them:

 

- Boy earns Bobcat badge, receives bobcat segment

- Boy earns Wolf badge, receives wolf segment

- Boy in flag ceremony, receives flag segment

- Boy attends scout mass, receives church segment

- Boy is denner, receives denner segment

- Den goes to BBall game, boys receive BBall segment

- etc.

 

Twelve segments go around a 3" patch, I think 17 go around the second time. I try to get them for most things the den does or for most of the belt loops or pins the boys earn. I think the boys really like them, I know mine does. He's working on the fourth ring for his vest. A fifth ring won't fit but will put the segments around where they will.

 

One nice thing about scouting is that I've learned how to use my wife's sewing machine.

 

SWScouter

[Rip Van Scouter]

The only segmented patches I have seen in St. Louis (GSLAC) is the Scouting for Food patch, which is round, and each year the Scout participates he gets a short arc-shaped patch with that year. I think there is room for 5-6 years around the circle.

 

When I was a Boy Scout we had Summer Camp patches that had a "D" or half circle shape. Each camp in the council had its own arc-shaped small patch to go around the half-circle (I think 3-4 could fit on top) and if you camped more than that you got to wear a "Veteran Camper" bar underneath.

[Rip Van Scouter]

Oh, yeah. St. Louis Area Council (now Greater St. Louis Area Council)had officially sanctioned hiking trail patch awards in quarter sections, so that up to four could fit together, however it did not make a true "pie" because the outside arc at the top of the patch had a smaller radius than the whole "pie", thus giving it more of a four-leaf clover effect, but not quite. If you hiked the trail again you got a small "foot" patch with the number, 2,3,4, etc.

 

Basically, if you were in Scouts for many years and went on many Council trails you could accumbulate a nice collection of pie sections and footprints going around the pie, which made an interesting centerpiece for the back of the "Brag Vest".

 

I do not know if the GSLAC still does that since I have not seen the patches at the Scout Shop, but they may be special order only. Besides, my kids are only in Cubs, so I won't see those hiking patches for a couple more years.

[johndaigler]

Rip -

 

I remember the type of Scout patches you mentioned. This program is similar - particularly the camp patches that had the year by year segments around the center circle. In fact, this is probably an outgrowth of that patch history.

 

This is a CUB program that is optional by council - perhaps even by Unit if the Council agrees, so you may not see them at all. If your Scout shop had them, you'd know, because they take up quite a bit of room, (Our shop stocks over 125 different segment patches) and are used so frequently that they keep a lot in stock. They're not special ordered (usually) because they are used for instant recognition of participation. On Monday at our Space Derby, each boy will leave with the "Rocket" segment.

 

jd

[ScoutNut]

"For example, at Day Camp boys earn Fishing, Archery and BB Gun Shooting belt loops. Would you also give those segments??"

 

We would give out a segment for participating in Day Camp, but not for the individual belt loops.

 

 

 

[johndaigler]

ScoutNut -

for Pack activities and Day camp the segment decision is made by our Advancements Chair. All our boys who went to Day Camp will receive:

 

Archery and BB Gun Shooting Belt loops

 

and the following segments:

swimmer

bus (because they rode a bus to go swimming)

fish

handtools

bridge (I think this is a segment for crossing over, but we're giving it to the boys for their work on the ropes bridges and the ropes course)

traget

galaxy (looks li