Issue #26 - April 2018

Issue #26 – April 2018

New Badges Posted

Bowling, Paddington

New Pin Style for Fruit of the Spirit Award

Our supplier discontinued the original Fruit of the Spirit design, so we have a change. As we clear out our old inventory of the original pins, we will be adding this new design to our store.

Garden Ceremony

A well presented ceremony can enhance and add meaning to the ideas and concepts the Quest program aims to teach kids participating in the program. The following garden ceremony is perfect for investiture and re-dedication ceremonies where expectations of the participants’ behavior can be be expressed in fun and visual way.

First, plant five rows of peas:

Preparedness
Politeness
Promptness
Perseverance
Prayer

Then, three rows of squash:

Squash gossip
Squash criticism
Squash indifference

Next, plant nine rows of lettuce:

Let us be loving
Let us be joyful
Let us be peaceful
Let us be patient
Let us be kind
Let us be good
Let us be gentle
Let us be faithful
Let us have self control

No garden, of course, would be complete without turnips, so….

Turn up for meetings on time
Turn up with new ideas
Turn up with real determination
and best of all,
Turn up with a smile!!!

Ideas for presenting the ceremony:

This ceremony can be presented in many ways.

1. Build an actual mini garden with real seeds and plant the seeds as you read.

2. Have individual girls each read a line and “plant” a paper cutout of their plant onto a large paper banner or poster

3. Have the girls dress up as their vegetable and “plant” themselves in rows as they read their lines.

4. Put seed packets on sticks and place them in small pots with dirt and fake leaves to look like plants and present one to each girl as you read the lines. They can then take them home and plant them.

National Wildlife Week (March 14^th – 18^th) ~ Animals around the World

Written by: Kiersta Marie Fairbrother

Ideas for the Animals Around the World Badge:

Learn to identify animals that do not live in your part of the world (Make a list of all the animals you can think of, then consult a book to see which animals you know about but forgot)
Make a Craft that involves animals around the world (we made Owls out of Toilet Paper Rolls)
Learn about biomes ~ split the room into 4 – 6 different areas (hang up a picture of a dessert in one section, rain forest in another, ocean, etc ~ list an animal and have members decide which biome that animal is from – go stand in the area of the room)
Print a map of the World ~ List animals and write where in the world they live. Are they endangered? Why or why not?
Play a matching game (I made up one that had the vocabulary word/definition and members had to match them)
Play Animal Bingo

Make a Difference Award Guidelines

by Katie Lundquist, Leader of Troop #159, Co

Over the last several years, our troop has awarded 40 Make a Difference Awards at all levels, Level 1 through Level 5. Projects have included grand events such as Father/Daughter dances and Mother/Daughter teas, as well as smaller projects such as collecting coats for the homeless population, blankets and towels for an animal hospital, and school supplies for families in crisis. Throughout all of these activities, we have come up with several guidelines that have helped our troop ensure we are meeting quality standards for our Make a Difference projects. Using these guidelines for the past few years have helped avoid some issues and problems we experienced with our earlier projects. These are not necessary for earning the award and go above and beyond the requirements from Quest National headquarters, but I wanted to share them with other troops in case you find them useful. Next month, I will share how we conduct a review board interview for Levels 3, 4, and 5, including examples of the questions we ask.

TROOP 159: Level 3, 4, and 5 Make a Difference Award Guidelines

§ Members at the levels 3 and 4 must choose an advisor for their project. An advisor can be any adult outside of their own family. If the advisor is not familiar with Quest and the Make a Difference Award, it is recommended they meet with troop leadership before starting the project.

§ A time log must be kept throughout the duration of the project. This log must be signed by the advisor and turned in to troop leadership at the Review Board. The member must also keep accurate expense records to be turned in at the same time.

§ Only 1 of the 3 volunteers being led may be from the member’s own family.

§ A Review Board will be conducted after the project is completed. The Board will consist of at least 3 adults not related to the member and not their advisor. The membeer may choose 1 of the adults to sit on the Board. Parents are not allowed to attend the Board, except in special circumstances and approved by troop leadership.

§ During the interview, the Board will ask the member several questions relating to the project and their role in it. Questions may also be asked about their Quest experience in general. The purpose of the interview is to help the member reflect on what they learned from the project and to gauge the member’s leadership experience. There are no right or wrong answers, but the member must show the leadership growth inherent in the intent of the Award.

§ Final approval for the Award is determined by troop leadership based on the project, the documents turned in and the recommendation of the Review Board.

Flag of the Month- Bhutan

By Jennifer Milakovic Nelson

Bhutan is one of two countries with a mythological animal on its national flag. Bhutan, as well as Wales, has a dragon as the focal point of its flag. The country of Bhutan is known as the “Land of the Thunder Dragon” because people have long believed that the sound of thunder in the mountains was the sound of dragons. The dragon is white to symbolize purity and loyalty. The dragon holds jewels that symbolize the nation’s wealth. Bhutan joined the United Nations in 1971, so that is probably when this version of the flag was introduced. The exact date is unknown though, because Bhutan was largely closed off from the world prior to the 1960s.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-Bhutan

Image Source: Wiki Comm

Sewing to Serve

by Elizabeth Simmons

Let me introduce you to some options to sew for the Quilting and Advanced Quilting badges. Please note that a quilt is a much larger project than a pillowcase or pillowcase dress. You may want to have several girls team up on one quilt for a start.

Optional Requirement 3 of the Quilting badge states, “Participate in a community service project that involves quilting. Ideas might include quilting dog beds for the local animal shelter, quilting blankets for the local homeless shelter, or baby blankets for a hospital.”

Optional Requirement 11 of the Advanced Quilting badge states, “Give a quilt you make as a gift or donate it to a charity.”

Locally, you may be able to quilt for the animal shelter, pregnancy resource centers, homeless shelters, transitional foster homes, Ronald McDonald house, or nursing homes. You will need to contact the desired agency to see what their specifications would be. Some may include specific washing instructions, materials, or lack of glittery fabrics.

Following are 3 nationally advertised projects to make quilts for others.

Project Linus – http://www.projectlinus.org/ “At Project Linus, a non-profit organization, we provide homemade blankets to children in need. Our blankets are lovingly made by adults and children from all walks of life and many different sources.” This project was inspired by Linus’s blanket in the Snoopy cartoons. These blankets are often donated to children’s hospitals so smoke and pet contamination is a concern. Please refer to their website for size, materials, and other requirements. Project Linus also accepts afghans and no sew fleece blankets, though these would not qualify for either quilting badge.

Snuggled in Hope Quilts – http://www.snuggledinhopequilts.com/ Snuggled in Hope provides a quilt and pillowcase for every camper that attends a particular camp for children with a “serious illness.” They are requesting quilt tops and quilts of twin bed size. In their “Wish Lists” section of the website, they list their requirements for the quilts along with some other things they need.

Quilts of Valor – https://www.qovf.org/ “The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.” How perfect for Frontier Girls! These quilts have some very specific requirements for size, materials, type of quilting, label, and skill level. Be sure to read their website to find out more.

I have personally a few kids in making simple quilts for a pregnancy resource center. I have also made a few quilts for other projects. My family says “to sleep under a quilt, is to sleep wrapped in love.” I am so blessed to be able to know I am sharing love with others with every stitch.

Cheery the Camp Chipmunk

by Meg Hinterlang

It’s spring!!! The grass is growing, the leaves are starting to bud, and the peoplescouts can’t wait to pull out their pocket knives to carve points on sticks!

Pocket knives are always very popular at camp. Scouts pull them out to cut ropes or lanyard lace, trim sticks, open plastic wrap, and sometimes even to cut food! But all scouts must earn a knife safety badge before they are allowed to carry a pocket knife at camp.

One of the first and most important things the youngest campers must learn is the safety circle, or “blood circle”. Before any sharp tool is used, the scout should grasp it (with the blade closed) and reach out all the way around in a full circle. Check overhead, too. No one else may be within that circle when the tool is used—not even a chipmunk!

When a pocket knife is opened, it must be opened all the way. Many knives sold for kids will lock open, so small fingers are safer. When the blade is opened or closed, the camper should be sure to keep fingers away from the sharp edge.

A knife should always cut away from the body—never toward it—and away from the fingers holding the item being cut. I can gnaw with my teeth, but it is never safe to gnaw with a knife!! When a knife is passed from one person to another, it should be closed, or passed handle first, by gripping the back of the blade. When a camper receives an open knife, a polite “thank you” tells the giver it is safe to let go.

Pocket knives come in many sizes, but the best ones I’ve seen for scouts are about the length of a chipmunk’s tail. Many leaders suggest the length of the blade should be about the width of the palm of the person using it.

Pocket knives are great favorites at camp—all campers like to make pointed marshmallow sticks, but older scouts may pass time by whittling decorations on a hiking staff. Ivory soap is a great idea to practice whittling, although the shavings don’t taste very good!!

D.C’s Mysteries – Dog-napped

Short Story by Gloria Caelis, (Eagle, Troop #101)

The name’s Dyllan. Dyllan Caiman Jefferson, actually. But if you call me that, I’m
afraid that I’ll be unable to help you. To my friends, clients, and unwary substitute
teachers, I’m D.C. Call me that, and it’ll be: ‘Detective Caiman at your service!’
Depending on your age, it’ll be ‘Detective Caiman at your service, Sir!’ (Right now,
that’s just wishful thinking: no one older than seventeen has ever asked for my
assistance. How old am I? I’m twelve. A mature twelve, but twelve nonetheless.)
Anyway, that’s how my best friend Mason brought the case to me….

“D.C.!” Mason banged open my front door. “D.C.! Are you home?”

“I’m in my office,” I yelled back. (Mason never makes fun of my pretenses.) His
footfalls echoed, and then he appeared at my door. He was gesturing wildly, his eyes
were wild and his hair was wilder. (That last part was normal.) In short, he looked about
as desperate as a twelve-year-old can look. He was definitely not here to discuss our
strategy for the annual cops and robbers game. “What’s the trouble, Mason?” I asked
in my most calming, I-got-this detective manner. He sank onto my bed. (It didn’t matter.
I never made my bed.)

“Wookiee. He’s gone!” Mason blurted out. “My Wookiee!” (Wookiee is Mason’s
sheepdog. He’s extremely hairy, a caramely brown color, and very, very trusting. He
would never dream of pulling someone’s arms from their sockets, even if losing a tugof-
war. Wookiee is the sort of dog that gives canines the reputation of man’s best
friend.)

“Tell me everything you know, starting with when you last saw Wookiee,” I said,
pulling out my notebook. Mason stood up and paced.

“I let him out this morning, and after school, he was gone!”

“Did anybody see him?”

“No. You know my parents and older brother work; that’s why Wookiee stays
outside during the day. I stayed after school to play baseball, so they got back before I
did. They thought he was with me. I asked the neighbors, but they hadn’t seen
Wookiee either.” I jotted down ‘no witnesses’ in my notebook. “But,” Mason continued,
“I know Wookiee. He loves me. He wouldn’t run away. He’s never once so much as
tried to escape the yard while we were gone, and now he’s left a huge hole in the
fence. Only, I don’t think it was him. I think he’s been stolen!” I was quiet, thinking it
over. Wookiee was great and all, but stealing him?

“Anything else?” I asked, closing my notes.

“No.” Mason stared at his toes, a bit embarrassed about admitting his fears that
Wookiee had been dog-napped. “My mom and brother don’t agree. They say he’ll be
back.”

“Take me to the crime scene. We’ll get to the bottom of this, Mason.”

I grabbed my ‘kit’ (it has all my detective things in it) and my bike. Neither of us
said a word the entire way to his house. While he didn’t live far, he didn’t live close, and
the streets of Brentburry tend to wind. I resisted the urge to form hypotheses. Sherlock
Holmes says to never pre-suppose on a case. He makes it look and sound easy—it’s
not. Brakes screeching, almost fishtailing, we came to a halt at the base of a steep hill,
in front of Mason’s house. In the front door, out the back door, and we were in the
backyard. (You probably figured that out….) The hole, big enough to free a determined
sheepdog, was in the far right corner: the corner that backs up to the street…
interesting. Hewed with deep scratches, covered in mud, and with tufts of brown fur
caught on the jagged edges, it did seem as if a distraught dog had flung himself at it
until it caved. I shook my head.

“I’m sorry, Mason. I think you’re right,” I sighed. “Wookiee’s been stolen.”

“Are you sure?” Mason switched sides. “Sure sure?”

“Yeah.” Kneeling, I pointed to the area in front of the hole. “The paw prints are
way too precise and clear to have been made by a crazed dog, and anyways, the
scrabbling at the fence should have obscured them. With that, the scratches are too far
apart, and there are only three in a set of claw marks. If I had to guess, I’d say
someone used a three pronged garden trowel to fake the evidence.” I straightened up
halfway. “Also, several nails are missing, and see how the fence was forced in? The
bits of hair hide it some, but not totally.” I grabbed the top of the fence, and levered
myself up. “And over here, there are no footprints, but the grass is flattened out for
about a five foot radius. You were right, Mason.”

My friend looked like he wanted to cry. He was valiant. He did not. “So now
what, D.C.?” he asked, his nonchalant words trembling only a little.

“Duh!” Trying to cheer him, I grinned. “We get to rescue a Wookiee of course.” It
wasn’t going to be that easy. I needed to know more—and it’s the sort of stuff you
can’t just find on the internet. I didn’t tell Mason that. “So, first we need—”
“Wait,” Mason interrupted. “What if we checked on how many other dogs are
missing? None? Twenty-one?”

I’m sorry to say (now) that I was annoyed. “Mason,” I said patiently, “I don’t see
how that would help Wookiee. What we need to do is try to figure out why they took
Wookiee, which would help with figuring out who took him, and ultimately where they
took him.” I sighed again. “Can I use your computer?”

“Of course.”

We went in. I spent about an hour searching the internet for reasons why people
steal dogs. After the fiftieth webpage, I decided I was on the wrong track. As far as I’d
gotten with why leading to who, was ‘who’ being criminals. (No way. Could have fooled
me.)

“Mason, what if we…” I trailed off. “I guess we could try to figure out which way
the thief went, but I’m not that great at tracking yet.”

He didn’t answer me. He said instead, “D.C., on the Brentburry News Site, there
are fifty-seven dog missing advertisements.” That caught my attention.

“You might have something there,” I said. He raised an eyebrow at me.

“Fine,” I admitted. “I was wrong, you were right, and you definitely have something
there. Better?”

Knocking my shoulder, he said, “Thank you. Hey. Who knows, maybe I can be a
version of Dr. W. who actually helps!”

“Yeah. Sorry.” Then, I brightened, my detective sense tingling. (Well, I call it my
‘detective sense’ but it’s just…just…a knowing that I’m on a scent. That metaphor is
especially appropriate for a dog-napping!) “I see where you were going with that,
Mason. If they’ve got that many dogs, minus the few that actually went missing of their
own volition, then there aren’t that many places where the pernicious purloiners could
remain hidden, right?”

“Yup!” Mason said. “To the old library?”

“Exactly! You agree?”

“Completely, D.C.” (Mason is a great friend!) We started to our bikes.

“Pernicious purloiners? Really?”

“Sorry. I got excited.” I rephrased my alliteration. “Rotten robbers. Simple
enough?”

“I’ve got a crazy friend.” Mason shook his head, bemoaning my lost reason.

“Ha. I’ll race you to the stop sign before the woods!” I took off without waiting
for a reply.

“Hey!” Mason took off after me.

Woods? You might be wondering. I thought they were headed to the old library. I
shall explain. Before there was Brentburry, there was Old Town…a town so old no one
remembers its name. (That’s not true…it was Brentburry too.) The past townspeople
abandoned it because the woods are swampy and swampy equals mosquitos—by the
ton. (Do you know how many mosquitos it takes to make a ton? A veritable plague of
‘em.) Most of the buildings were crumbling down when my great-grandfathers were
kids, except the library—a beautiful place, built at the town’s expense and finished just
prior to the decision to abandon marsh. The citizens refused to take it as a loss, and it
was kept in repair, and even in use, until my mom was about twenty. (I may have
forgotten to mention, my Great-great-great-great grandfather’s name was Bartimaeus
Bartholomew Brent. At least I wasn’t named after him….)

Mason beat me. I’m not exactly out of shape, but he’s most definitely in shape.
Hence, he won my impromptu tour de….Brentburry….(Maybe I’d better leave that
name to France.) Ditching our bikes in a road side ditch, Mason and I hiked through the
sparse and mushy forest. I wished we could’ve stay on the road, but if the dognappers
were at the library, they would probably be using the road, (and probably
wouldn’t want to share it), mostly though, I didn’t want to be spotted.

“Remember, we’re scouts,” I instructed. “First, let’s not get caught, and second,
we’re not jumping headfirst into a rescue unless Wookiee’s being loaded onto a truck
or something. Got it Dr. M?” (Hey! This is amazing! An ‘m’ is just an upside down ‘w’!
It’s perfect! No? Nothing? Well, I think it’s pretty cool.)

“Got it,” he mimed talking into a radio. “Base, this is scout command. We’re
entering possible hostile territory, and keeping an eye out for the missing person.
Over.”

“How come you get to be command?” I asked.

“Because you get to be Sherlock.”

“Touché.”

Joking aside, we were both nervous as cats. (Although, cats always struck me
as being one of the less easily perturbed members of the animal kingdom: unless…
unless they were trying to free upwards of fifty dogs. That’d do it for two cats, I
suppose.) Each step we took either snapped a twig on the higher ground or
squuuueeeeelcheeeed all the way down and back up in the soft bog. (Note to self: read
up on silent movement.) A four mile trek, the way to the abandoned library was either
too long, or too short; I couldn’t decide. As we tramped further into the forest, the eerie
whine of the mosquitos grated on our nerves, grinding them to a ragged edge. Our
hands were kept busy trying to keep our skins whole. We needed a swat team to
combat all these bloodsucking insects! I was also wondering (through the skeeters)
about the other ‘w’s. ‘W’s like: who, and why. Sigh. Sometimes I think I’m the smartest
kid on the block, (and that’s not so good…) and other times I’m aware of just how
much I’ve still got to figure out. (Now is one of those times…in case you were
wondering….)

SOMETHING GRABBED MY SHOULDER!!!
To be continued….

Look for the next installment of “Dog-Napped” in the May newsletter.