Our Jr. Troop's Own Mascot Badge
OUR TROOP'S OWN JUNIOR BADGE
TROOP MASCOTS
A Troop's own badge created by Junior 689
(with some help from some friends).
(Complete 4 activities plus the 3 starred.)
A troop mascot is stuffed toy animal that a Girl Scout troop "adopts" and then sends to
either girls within their own troop or to other Girl Scout/Girl Guide troops. Mascots can
be fun and educational for both the home troop and the host troop. Similar to pen-pals,
troop mascots are a different way to "meet" girls from around the USA and the world.
*1. Discuss with your troop the possibility of "adopting" a troop mascot. Ask the
following questions:
What mascot would we choose? Do we want it to represent something in our area or
state (an animal commonly found there or sports team mascot) or just something fun?
Where would we send our mascot? Among girls in our troop? To other troops within our
Service Unit or Council? To other American troops? To foreign countries?
How would we find hosts for our mascot?
Can our troop afford to buy a mascot and then pay for the expenses involved? (Postage,
swaps, postcards, patches, etc.)
Would we want to exchange our mascot with other troops (host their mascot while they
host ours) or just send ours out?
*2. Select and name troop mascot. Make sure the whole troop participates in the selection
process of both the mascot and it's name, using your patrol system, town meeting system,
or secret ballot. Remember, this mascot will represent your troop, and you should be able
to explain why it and its name were chosen. Also take into consideration where it will be
going when you choose its size.
(Examples: Bandit, a beanie-sized raccoon from a Tenn. troop, was chosen because the
raccoon is the Tenn. state wild animal, and often act like little bandits. Two-Bits, a
beanie-sized horse, was chosen by a Texas troop.)
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of a beanie-sized mascot? What would
be the advantages and disadvantages of a larger mascot?
*3. Look at a map of the United States. Decide where you would like to send your mascot
(outside of your Council).
How would you contact a troop there to host your mascot? The
Internet might be used to find a troop:
GirlScouts find a council map
What other
resources on the Internet are available? Make a list of websites you find. Would writing
letters be possible/practical? Find out from your Council how to contact the council in the
are where you are interested in sending your mascot. Share your findings with your troop
or group. Make a booklet of other council's information that your troop gathered.
*4. Mailing a mascot overseas requires an extra document called a "customs form."
What is
a customs form and why is it required to send a package to another country? Visit your
local post office and ask for a customs form (both the long and short versions). Ask the
postal worker what are the differences between the two forms. What information is
required on a customs form? What items are not allowed to be sent through the mail?
*5. SWAPs (small "crafty" items for each girl in the troop) are often sent to the host troop
from the mascot's home troop. Decide what SWAP your troop could make to send to a
host troop. It should be small and easily made. (ex.: bookmarks, small pins, simple
friendship bracelets).
Why did you choose this swap? Make enough for each girl in your
own troop.
*6. The traveling troop mascot program is an excellent way to learn about other Girl
Scouts/Girl Guides.
What could be sent to a host troop to let them know more about your
troop and where you are from? Make a list of items and explain why each was chosen.
Collect examples and make a sample "host packet." (Remember mailing weight when
selecting your information/items.) What items could you send to a troop in another
country that you wouldn't send to a U.S. troop? Explain why you choose these items.
*7. Hosting and sending mascots requires a schedule to keep track of where they are and
where and when they should be mailed to the next host.
What information should be
included when scheduling a mascot? What are 3 ways to record this information? Using
one of these methods, make an imaginary 6-month schedule for your mascot. Be sure to
allow shipping time between host troops. Show your troop or group, and compare your
schedule to others. Can you devise a better way using another idea with yours? Do it.
*8. Imagine you are sending your mascot to Tokyo, Japan. The troop you have contacted
there has never hosted a mascot before and would like you to explain what they need to
do. Write a letter or e-mail message explaining about your troop's mascot and how to
"take care of it" during its visit to Japan.
(Remember not to use slang words or phrases
they might misunderstand. Also, foreign troops sometimes think a mascot is a real animal,
so be sure to explain what your mascot really is.) Share your letter with your troop.
*9. Compare the cost of mailing a package weighing 2 pounds in a box that is 2"x8"x12"
from your hometown post office to Mariposa, California (zip code) using the US Post
Office priority mail, UPS 2nd day delivery and FedEx 2nd day service.
Also compare the
ease of
tracking that package if it were missing using these shipping services. Make a chart
showing the differences.
*10. Many mascots "travel" with "luggage." This could include a small photo album ($1.00
brag albums) for the host troop to add pictures of them with the mascot, a journal to write
about what was done while the mascot visited, a small notebook with information about
the host troop (and their council and area) and a small backpack to carry all these things
in.
Decide what you would send with your mascot and explain why or why not to include
the above items if your mascot is traveling to: another troop within your council; another
troop in a council 500 miles from you; and to a Guide unit in Dublin, Ireland. Pretend your
troop receives an oversized mascot to host in a package that includes the following: a
backpack, a large notebook-journal, a photo album, 3 t-shirts for the mascot to "wear"
and 3 envelopes for your troop plus the next 2 host troops. The home troop request that
you send the package to the next troop using UPS with a tracking a number. The package
will cost over $15.00 to mail to the next host. Your troop has very little money to spend.
What could you do?
*11. This activity is to be done as a troop ONLY.
(***Note:You must have signed the Girl Scout On-Line Safety pledge-may be found at
this website: Girl Scout Internet safety pledge
have parental permission to be on the
Internet, and have permission from your troop leader to ask to host/send a mascot.)
Look at the Internet's Traveling Mascot board at:
Mascot message board
Read several of the messages requesting either host troops for their mascots or mascots to
visit them. Then:
(A) Reply to a post requesting a host. Schedule the month for your troop to host that
mascot.
OR
(B) Reply to a message requesting to host a mascot. Schedule the month to send your
mascot to the host troop. Prepare your mascot and its things for mailing. Follow the
guidelines discussed in this badge's activities. Remember to keep it simple for this first
time.
OR
(C) Find a local troop within your council which is willing to host your troop's mascot for
a month.
Prepare your mascot and its things for its first trip. Follow the guidelines
discussed in this badge's activities. Remember to keep it simple for this first time.
NOW, send your mascot/host their mascot during the agreed-upon month. Find a way to
allow all the troop members to participate. (ex.: if hosting, write in the journal, take
photos of all the girls with the mascot, make SWAPs for the home troop. If sending help
pack the mascot and its things, take a troop photo with their mascot.) Find on a map the
location of the troop you contacted. Find out which council that troop belongs to, if you
can. (Contact your own council for help.)
OTHER SUGGESTIONS NOT LISTED ABOVE:
When making a contact to host or send, make sure to get the Leader's name, home
address, phone number (with area code), and an alternate contact (like a co-leader or
assistant leader). Also get their council name, address and phone number, and email if
possible.
SUGGESTION FOR NEW HOSTS: DON'T overbook!! You can schedule a visit for 2 months at a time--it is quite a bit easier to keep track of your mascot & any mascot you are hosting!
Most important--HAVE FUN WITH THIS!!!
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