TROOP MASCOTS
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Mascots are ambassadors for your troop. Usually they are little stuffed
animals although other things like dolls can be used. They are sent out
to visit other troops locally, across the US or even internationally,
and take part in all that troop's activities, trips and events. The host
troop writes all about the visit in the mascot's journal and hopefully
includes lots of photos.
It's simple to start. First of all you need to pick a troop mascot. To keep down the cost of postage for everyone involved, it is best to stay on the small side-beanie baby size is the most common. The mascot can be representative of your area (such as a lobster from Maine or an armadillo from Texas) or just something that your troop voted on such as a teddy bear. Secondly, you need to find someone with email access that will be your "mascot mom (or dad)". This person will contact other troops and set up your mascot's itinerary. Many troops like to have even exchanges-which is when you host each other's mascot at the same time. Senior Troop 258 sent around their mascots , Barnegat Pete and Pete Jr. from 1997 to 2003, and they've had many adventures. They've attended NASA's space camp, sat on a glacier in Alaska, slept in a Native American teepee, attended classes at Lehigh University, skied in Vermont, basked in the sun on a Hawaiian beach, bridged with a group of Juniors at the birthplace in Savannah. & won a gold medal at the Mascot Olympics in Salt Lake City. Pete Jr even went on a one year tour of the United Kingdom, visiting 10 guide units along the way. Having a troop mascot can be a lot of fun. We've not only "met" a lot of wonderful scouts and guides but we've learned a lot about the areas they live in and things they like to do. We've used quite a few of their ideas at our own troop meetings. The best place to get started is by taking the very simple course at Mascot University. Listed below are some other links that will guide you, but if you have any other questions please email me . I think you'll find it very rewarding once you start. |
Sample Letter for Taking care of Mascots
Sample Letter to Introduce Your Mascot
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