AoL Plaques / Gifts

[Faith]

Hi all,

 

With our B&G fast approaching (where our AoL scouts will receive their rank a month before bridging) - I am looking at plaque/gift ideas. There are so many out there. In the past, our Pack has always presented the boys with a version of an AOL plaque with an arrow attached (some made theirs, some bought them pre-made.)

 

I'm curious what everyone here has done (or what their scout received, if anything, for this event.) Keeping my options open and would love to hear what others do or have done.

 

Thanks as always.

[Eagle94-A1]

If the pack I'm with thinks about it in time, we make our own. Most of the plaques are outrageously priced. When I found out how much the pack was spending per plaque, I almost had a heart attack. That's when I suggested we make our own. For about $80, we can buy the supplies to make 8 - 10 plaques ourselves. The time consuming part is making the arrows. For 2 years, we made our own. Last year it was not thought about until the last minute, and they had to rush to get plaques. GREAT SCOTT!  6 plaques was over $400 when everything was put together.

 

One OA chapter I was in decided to make the plaques and arrows as a fundraiser fro the chapter. When we got it started, we didn't have many takers. But I'm told the OA plaques became quite popular.

Edited December 6, 2016 by Eagle94-A1

[desertrat77]

May I recommend something heretical? 

 

Don't present them a plaque.   Or anything else, aside from the AOL patch and their new Boy Scout neckerchief.

 

I still have my first neckerchief from bridging night, fortysomething years hence.   It's faded and well worn, but it is one of my most valued scout treasures.

[Faith]

If the pack I'm with thinks about it in time, we make our own. Most of the plaques are outrageously priced. When I found out how much the pack was spending per plaque, I almost had a heart attack. That's when I suggested we make our own. For about $80, we can buy the supplies to make 8 - 10 plaques ourselves. The time consuming part is making the arrows. For 2 years, we made our own. Last year it was not thought about until the last minute, and they had to rush to get plaques. GREAT SCOTT!  6 plaques was over $400 when everything was put together.

 

One OA chapter I was in decided to make the plaques and arrows as a fundraiser fro the chapter. When we got it started, we didn't have many takers. But I'm told the OA plaques became quite popular.

 

Ouch, that price hurts to read! We have 4 boys bridging. I found one plaque I like online, comes with an engraving in the wood, painted, arrow & the colors signifying ranks earned throughout the years. When I go to order 4, after tax and shipping, it comes out to $44/each. While I know my husband or another parent could make them for loads cheaper, it's getting the time to do so. We still have time, I just know *I* can't do it (I'm crafty but I would waste so much material trying, lol) and the others who volunteered in the past are no longer with us. I may ask around, though, as we have a template. It's just getting the materials and getting it done. 

That's awesome on the OA plaques! I'd have never thought to do that.

[Faith]

May I recommend something heretical? 

 

Don't present them a plaque.   Or anything else, aside from the AOL patch and their new Boy Scout neckerchief.

 

I still have my first neckerchief from bridging night, fortysomething years hence.   It's faded and well worn, but it is one of my most valued scout treasures.

 

I appreciate any recommendations. While I personally have no issue with that (it saves money, time and some stress on my part), I'm not sure what I'd tell my son. This is going to be me just being plain mom here, not a leader, in saying this. He's watched boys get a plaque in some shape or form for the past 4 years. If I decided this year nope, nothing for y'all - well, I just feel bad, lol. I know it's not the award that counts. It's what they take from this, learn, do from here & demonstrate in life (etc. etc.) But I'd still feel bad. I'm not 100% sure we'll go the plaque route, though.  

But as I said in my first post, I'm welcoming all opinions (and will be floating them all by my assistant DL & volunteer husband.) Thank you!

[blw2]

May I recommend something heretical? 

 

Don't present them a plaque.   Or anything else, aside from the AOL patch and their new Boy Scout neckerchief.

 

I still have my first neckerchief from bridging night, fortysomething years hence.   It's faded and well worn, but it is one of my most valued scout treasures.

yep, that is a hard precedent to break.  Something my son looked forward too..... having his own arrow.

 

In reality though, I believe the thought of it was much better than actually having it.  Now that he has it, I don't know that it brings him any real feeling or joy, one way or the other.... just like any other dust collector really.  Something else that someday he or somebody is going to have to look at and toss.  I'm reminded of a book I read on de-cluttering..... the advice, look at an object, and if it doesn't bring you "joy", thank it for the experience it represents, or for the lesson it gave you, and then toss it.

 

Anyway, we had a mom volunteer to head up the plaque procurement. (Store bought plaque and arrow)  It shocked me about how much attention was paid to what the adults wanted, and how little was paid to what the scouts wanted.  We ended up with a few choices to vote on.  My vote was my son's pick.  I think one other dad did the same.  The rest were against that, upset even that the scouts were made aware of the choice.

 

A couple years prior I considered doing one of those projects of having the scouts involved in making their own arrows, wrapping the various colors to represent achievements.  I realized how little they really cared about the patches and such, and figured this would end up being a lot of work for nothing really.

[Eagle94-A1]

yep, that is a hard precedent to break.  Something my son looked forward too..... having his own arrow.

 

In reality though, I believe the thought of it was much better than actually having it.  Now that he has it, I don't know that it brings him any real feeling or joy, one way or the other.... just like any other dust collector really.  Something else that someday he or somebody is going to have to look at and toss.  I'm reminded of a book I read on de-cluttering..... the advice, look at an object, and if it doesn't bring you "joy", thank it for the experience it represents, or for the lesson it gave you, and then toss it.

 

Anyway, we had a mom volunteer to head up the plaque procurement. (Store bought plaque and arrow)  It shocked me about how much attention was paid to what the adults wanted, and how little was paid to what the scouts wanted.  We ended up with a few choices to vote on.  My vote was my son's pick.  I think one other dad did the same.  The rest were against that, upset even that the scouts were made aware of the choice.

 

A couple years prior I considered doing one of those projects of having the scouts involved in making their own arrows, wrapping the various colors to represent achievements.  I realized how little they really cared about the patches and such, and figured this would end up being a lot of work for nothing really.

 

Yep, VERY hard to break a precedent. Oldest has his AOL plaque hanging up, and really could care less.  Middle son at the moment sees big brother's, wants one, and is going on and on how he completed his last requirement for AOL.

 

As for parents being more concerned about their choices than the kids' picks, It's going to get interesting when they get into Boy Scouts.

[qwazse]

...  I'm not sure what I'd tell my son. This is going to be me just being plain mom here, not a leader, in saying this. He's watched boys get a plaque in some shape or form for the past 4 years. If I decided this year nope, nothing for y'all - well, I just feel bad, lol. I know it's not the award that counts. It's what they take from this, learn, do from here & demonstrate in life (etc. etc.) But I'd still feel bad. I'm not 100% sure we'll go the plaque route, though. 

 

Yep, mom guilt! It all goes downhill from there.

It is the award that counts. That is, the little rectangular patch.

But, ask your son what he thinks. Explain it in terms he understands. E.g., 4 plaques vs. 4 pizzas with ice-cream.

 

Alternatives to plaques:

A picture of the boys, maybe when they were tigers stamp the AOL symbol. Each boy signs it.

A neckerchief with an iron-on transfer of the boys' picture and some kind words. Each boy signs it.

An AoL stamp.

 

Have fun, and congratulations to your son.

[Faith]

Such good ideas and points here. I'm reading them all out to my husband now. My parents, honestly, don't seem to concerned about it either way. And I totally agree that the patch is what matters. And I'm just super excited for the boys to move up (they just camped with the troop for the first time this last weekend so they're all super excited too.) Sometimes I do go a little overboard when it comes to them but they're family to us. We have a surprise party planned for them right before they bridge. Anyways, I'm gonna show a few to my son and explain all this as well. We shall go from there!

[desertrat77]

Great discussion!

 

If precedence/tradition is strong, it should continue.

 

But...perhaps...instead of a plaque, how about a pocket knife?   Doesn't have to be fancy.   Just a basic model will do.   Or a mess kit.   Or a camping spoon/knife/fork set?

 

They'll use a gift like that.  It will be part of their new adventures on the scouting trail.  And a few will manage to hang on to it.   It'll be a prized memento.   

[Stosh]

When I was a Cub Scout, I came down for breakfast one morning and there next to my spoon was a Cub Scout pocket knife.  I had earned the Whittlin' Chit a few days earlier.......

 

I bet I'm the only Boy Scout that still carries a Cub Scout pocket knife.

[JasonG172]

I have a lady in the pack that is fantastic at putting together and Arrow and plaque.

[Faith]

Great discussion!

 

If precedence/tradition is strong, it should continue.

 

But...perhaps...instead of a plaque, how about a pocket knife?   Doesn't have to be fancy.   Just a basic model will do.   Or a mess kit.   Or a camping spoon/knife/fork set?

 

They'll use a gift like that.  It will be part of their new adventures on the scouting trail.  And a few will manage to hang on to it.   It'll be a prized memento.   

 

I actually just wrapped a mess kit and portable spoon/knife/fork set for my son for Christmas. When they went on the troop campout, my husband and he noticed our other 4 scouts that went all had some form of it already (I felt like a slacker, haha.) I know 3 of our boys received a knife year before last as a Christmas gift from their parents (including mine) after earning the whittling chip. I guess we're a bit too proactive

[Faith]

When I was a Cub Scout, I came down for breakfast one morning and there next to my spoon was a Cub Scout pocket knife.  I had earned the Whittlin' Chit a few days earlier.......

 

I bet I'm the only Boy Scout that still carries a Cub Scout pocket knife.

 

That is awesome. I was given a very nice, new pocket knife from a friend who bought it for her son who quit scouts not long after (he never earned his whittling chip.) She shipped it to me from California and we presented it to him the Christmas after he earned his chip (which was about 2 weeks later.) He treasures it now and takes it on all his campouts.

[Faith]

I have a lady in the pack that is fantastic at putting together and Arrow and plaque.

 

Oh how I wish I was that lady We had a dad who did it for a couple years before they bridged. If he wasn't out of state with a new job, I'd be asking him most likely!