Issue #26 - March 2018

Issue #26 – March 2018

Badge of the Week: Upcoming Badges for March

by Kerry Cordy

For those of you who follow the Quest Facebook page, you will have noticed that beginning in February we started choosing a Badge of the Week and posting a fun idea or resource for working on that badge each day during the week. Upcoming badges being featured for March include:

Biology
State (Specific)
Worms
Take the Lead

Quest Member of the Month

by Katie Lundquist

Christopher Lundquist is a Level 2 (what we call Rover) Quest member in Frontiersmen Troop 159 in CO. He has participated as a homeschooler, member of a church-run club or part of our troop since 2011! Cpher is on the autism spectrum and finds it very difficult to interact with others around his age, but Quest Club has been the perfect outlet for him because it gives him something to focus on at meetings and measurable goals to strive for. This has helped him excel in other areas as well. He was recently awarded Clubber of the Month for his age group in AWANA with this nomination from his leaders: “Christopher studies hard, stays on track and is always giving to others. He competes hard in games, always with a joyful heart. He makes everyone around him better and is an extremely hard worker.”

In Frontiersmen, Cpher earned the Discovery and WOW! Awards in Level 1 (Cadet), as well as an astounding 44 Service Hearts, mostly for his volunteer work at a therapeutic miniature horse farm serving special needs children and adults, as well as seniors in residential homes. So far in his first year as a Level 2, he has earned his Discovery Award and 2 Service Hearts plus 90 badges! He has also received the President’s Volunteer Service Award two years in a row – a Gold for 2016 and a Bronze for 2017.

We are so proud of Christopher and all he has learned and accomplished!

New Badges

Polymer Clay

How to Write a Badge

by Megan Lundquist, Leader & Owl with Troop 159

I love writing badges and sharing with other Clubs! Following the requirements of the Badge Writing badge in the Knowledge Area of Discovery is a great way to make sure you are doing it right, but often people ask how hard it is or what it really looks like. So here is what I do.

I pick a topic I love or want to learn about and see if there’s a badge already written. Start researching your topic – what do you already know? What new things can you learn? What are some fun and interesting projects or facts you can learn about?

Decide on requirements for each level. You can base it off of another badge to get ideas for requirements. For example, the Pudding badge was based on the Pie badge requirements. Or you can create your own!

Check your requirements be sure you have enough for each level and make sure some of the things are easy enough for younger kids and challenging for older kids. When you add websites, make sure that they are up-to-date and safe.

Finally, lay it all out to make sure you have all of your pieces to the badge and then you send it in to Kerry Cordy at kerry@questclubs.com.

Have fun writing!

Fire Building

by – Jacob Lundquist, Ranger (Level 4) Troop 159

Fire building is a skill that you need to know to go camping. You can’t always depend on someone to do it. There are three things a fire needs – heat, air and fuel.

The fuel breaks into three different groups. Tinder is used to catch the fire but it burns fast. Kindling is dry, dead twigs no bigger than your thumb. Finally, fuel is different types of timber.

When building a fire there are different positions to place the wood depending on what you are using the fire for. The first is the log cabin. Start by placing two sticks that are fairly the same size parallel to each other several inches apart. Then place two more sticks on top of them but turned the other way. Do this as high as you want, then put tinder and kindling in the middle of your log cabin. Then light the tinder. This fire is good for a quick warm-up and for cooking.

The second is called the lean-to. Start with a larger log turned on its side. Now place kindling leaning onto the log, covering the whole side. Place your tinder under the sticks and light it. This fire is good in windy weather, using the larger base log as a windbreak.

The third type is the tee-pee. First prop some kindling sticks up on their ends and lean them against each other at the top. Put your tinder inside your tee-pee and light. This fire is good for starting other fires and is a quick way to warm up.

Remember, fire is dangerous. You should have a bucket of water by you at all times and if you are a younger person then have an adult nearby. Make sure to earn your Fire Safety badge before attempting the Fire Building badge.

Statehood Day: Celebrate your State!

By Suzanne Vicory

Badges relevant: State History, March Forth

Do you celebrate your state’s Statehood Day? Here in Arizona, our Statehood Day is February 14. Beth and I celebrate it as well as Valentine’s Day. We usually read a new bit of history, peruse local and state government officials’ biographies, and try a bit of local fare by either eating at an old restaurant or sampling a local food product, such as prickly pear jam.

This year, I gave Beth a gift package celebrating the five C’s that Arizona’s original economy was founded on: cattle, citrus, climate, copper, and cotton. Her gift was comprised of a fresh orange, beef jerky, a cotton doll dress, a jar of pennies for pressing machines, and a kite for flying on a balmy day.

Get creative and find ways to celebrate your Statehood Day!

Hailey’s Creative Corner

by Hailey, age 9, troop 400, South Carolina

Easter is almost here! Here’s an easy craft that will add some fun to your decor.

Supplies:

Mason jars
Strong adhesive ( I used E6000)
Plastic toy animals
Paint
Something colorful to display in your jars

1. Gather your supplies.

2. Glue the jar’s lid and band together.

3. Glue each animal to a jar lid.

4. Wait for the glue to dry.

5. Paint the animals, lids, and bands all the same color.

6. Wait for paint to dry.

7. Fill jars with colorful candies, put lids on, and set out for display.

You can also use this same idea and choose other items to glue to the top to change it up for other holidays and other badges!

Possible badges this craft fits: Holiday specific, Holidays general, Crafts, Animals specific, Painting, Glass Art, Gift giving.

Women’s History Month

By Jennifer Milakovic-Nelson

Women’s History Month started as only a week when in 1981 Congress declared the week starting March 7th as Women’s History Week. It was celebrated for one week in March for the next five years. In 1987 Congress made the whole of March into Women’s History Month and it has been celebrated as such since then.

Celebrate Women’s History Month by earning these badges in March:

Cowgirl (Discover Agriculture)
Biographies (Suggestions: Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marie Curie, Dolores Huerta, Margaret Mead, Sally Ride)
Literary Heroines (Discover Character)
Amelia Earhart (Discover Knowledge)
First Ladies (Discover Knowledge)
Jane Austen (Discover Knowledge)
Laura Ingalls Wilder (Discover Knowledge)
Nursing History (Discover Knowledge)
Shirley Temple (Discover Knowledge)
Women in History (Discover Knowledge)
Women in Science (Discover Science and Technology)

Pine Ridge Dude Ranch – Special Opportunity for Quest Clubs

by Jennifer Marosy, Social Director/Scouting Program Coordinator/Pine Ridge Dude Ranch

Crews are working non-stop to restore the property at 30 Cherrytown Rd., Kerhonkson, NY, formerly known as the Pine Grove Ranch and Family Resort. In April of 2018 we will re-open our doors as the newly-renovated Pine Ridge Dude Ranch, owned and operated by Mike Offner (on-site Wrangler for more than a decade.) Here is the inspirational story of how Mike saved the herd when Pine Grove closed its doors in September of 2017:

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/ article/DF/20171020/NEWS/ 171029987

A lot happened in the months that followed the closing of the ranch that hosted families and private parties for over 4 decades. It was a difficult time for those that dedicated years of their lives to working there and for those that looked forward to returning as guests. Many investment groups were eager to get their hands on this beautiful prime acreage. Mike decided that not only were the horses worth saving, the ranch itself was worth saving. And he has some amazing plans for the place too! Here’s more on that story, in case you’re interested:

http://www.recordonline.com/ news/20180130/big-plans-for- pine-ridge-dude-ranch

Dozens of dedicated staff members have returned and are getting ready to re-open the doors of our home-style resort! We are so happy to be bringing our ranch family back together again. Please let me know the best way we can earn your business and make you part of our Ranch family too. Custom programs can be developed with specific badge work upon request.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Marosy

Social Director/Scouting Program Coordinator

Pine Ridge Dude Ranch

Reservations: (845) 626-7345

Like us at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pineridgeduderanchny/

Sewing to Serve

by Elizabeth Simmons

Optional Requirement 13 of the Sewing Badge states, “Help sew useful items such as lap robes, quilts, winter garments, etc. for a charity. If you can’t sew well enough to actually make your chosen project, spend a couple hours serving drinks to the workers or pressing seams & threading needles at a charitable sewing bee.”

You may be wondering what to sew and where to donate it. There are almost endless options with varying degrees of difficulty. Many options are local, and you can contact agencies to see what is needed. This month, I am listing two projects that are organized at the national level.

1 Million Pillowcase Challenge – http://millionpillowcases.allpeoplequilt.com/ The idea is to make a fun pillowcase to brighten someone’s life. As of last count, 797,758 pillowcases have been made and given. You make the pillowcase and donate it locally. There are instructions and patterns on their website. Part of their website lists places to donate pillowcases with the intent that you will donate in your local community. Some options include hospice, child welfare centers, women’s shelters, and Ronald McDonald House.

Little Dresses for Africa – http://www.littledressesforafrica.org/ Their mission is “to provide relief to vulnerable children throughout the Continent of Africa and beyond.” You make the dresses and/or send funds for the dresses and other supplies to be shipped to Africa. There is a simple pattern available on their website and instructions on what to use and how to send it. One dress can make a difference for one girl on the other side of the world.

I have personally made Little Dresses for Africa, both on my own and with my troop. Our troop sent over a hundred dresses to Kenya. They were delivered by a friend going on a mission trip there. Because of our close connection, we were able to hear stories about and see pictures of the girls receiving the dresses. It was so touching. Using a skill in service to others is truly a blessing.

Starting a Garden

By Jennifer Milakovic-Nelson

For much of the US it’s the perfect time to start your garden, which means it’s also the perfect time to start earning the Gardening Badge! In order to have a successful garden you’ll want to put some careful thought into planning your garden and starting it off right.

Planning Your Garden

The fist step of planning a garden is picking a good site. Find a spot with sun through most of the day, as many plants need up to 6 hours of direct sun each day. Find an area with good soil, too. Rocky and clay soils will not work well. If you don’t have good soil, consider making raised beds. Raised beds can be built inexpensively with scrap wood or cinder blocks. Choose what you will plant based on what you will eat, as well as what grows well in your area. Once you know what plants you want, look up how much space each plant has. Be sure not to crowd your plants so that they don’t have to compete for resources. Also be mindful of various heights of plants, as you don’t want a taller plant casting too much shade on a shorter one.

Starting Seeds

Whether you start your seeds in trays indoors or sow them directly into the ground depends on the type of plant, as well as when you are planting them. The back of your seed packets should say whether to start indoors or outdoors. If you are planning to start your seeds early you should start them indoors to avoid frost. You can purchase inexpensive seed trays or use recycled egg cartons. Seed starts can be kept under artificial light, either specialty growing bulbs or a full spectrum LED bulb. You can also keep seed starts near a window to grow them in natural light.

Timing

Part of knowing when to plant your seeds is finding out your USDA Hardiness Zone. You can look up a map of Hardiness Zones online to figure out what Zone you live in. Hardiness Zones are based on the average lowest winter temperature, so people in warmer zones will be able to plant sooner than in colder zones. Once you know what Zone you live in, look on the back of your seed packets to see when you should start your seeds and when you should move them outside. If your seeds do not have this information you can look online or use a Farmer’s Almanac.

Cheery the Camp Chipmunk

by Meg Hinterlang

Brrr!! It’s very cold now, and there is not a lot of food to be found, so I am spending most of my time curled up sleeping. But the weather warmed up a little last weekend, so when a group of noisy peoplescouts began stomping all around the cabin over my nest, I figured I might as well get up and make sure my stashes were safe, and check out what the kids were doing.

Funny thing about peoplescouts—even when they have a nice warm cabin to spend the winter day in, they like to go out into the cold and drizzle and practice making fires. As I was born in this scout camp last spring, I have seen many practice fires!

As always, the campers wandered around the campsite collecting tinder, kindling, and fuel. Fuel is the big wood—big sticks, and logs as thick as I am tall. Sometimes the logs are so thick they have to be split by an ax. Scouts love to collect fuel! They always bring back as much as they can find. The trick with fuel is making sure it is dry enough to burn! (The driest fuel is stored all winter in the crate on the cabin porch.)

Kindling is smaller—from the size of my paws to the size of my waist. The campers like to find the thicker branches, but seem to ignore the skinny little sticks that lie all over the ground even when the rest of the camp is picked clean. These are often the best sticks to start your fire—and every chipmunk knows how important it is to stock up on the little things!

Tinder is a little tougher. Young peoplescouts often gather dried grasses or leaves to start their fires, but these often burn too quickly or smolder before the smallest kindling catches fire. Older scouts will sometimes shave a dried stick or pull apart bark or grapevines, and that sometimes works better. Campers who come prepared, and bring paper, lint, cottonballs, or other stuff from home often have the best luck. (I guess what they really need is the stuff I make my nest out of!) But to practice firebuilding, they need LOTS!!!

The young scouts I was watching were practicing with a flint and steel, trying to strike a spark into the nest of tinder, then blowing ever so carefully to help the spark catch. They quickly added the tiniest kindling to their fragile fire, building to bigger pieces once the flame was stable, then gradually working their way up to the fuel. It took many tries, and lots of tinder, but they persevered and eventually they had a nice fire to enjoy.