POST
CARD EXCHANGE |
| What
is a Post Card Exchange A post card exchange can be so much fun and so much work too. Basically, you would line up a troops to send you one post card and in exchange you would send one back. It's a great activity for your Daisy's
as they will see pictures of places they have never been. |
| How to do an all
state exchange This one you need to be careful with. If you chose to exchange with troops outside your council, check them out first, then do it again. The best way to set up a Post Card exchange is to go to (link will be laced here as soon as I find it ) and sign up. Most every council uses this resource and before you know it, you will have tons of cards. Remember, that if you sign up, you must follow through. Or, you can do it on your own, searching out troops, contacting councils, etc. |
| Homemade Post
Cards Fun, fun fun. If you are just exchanging with a few troops, you might want to have your girls make homemade Post cards. Using card stock paper, have girls draw a picture of where they live. On the other side, teach them about addressing cards. You can even have them make a stamp. You may have to do the writing. You'll want to enclose all the cards into an envelope and send that way. We have taken tiny beads, glitter, paint and fun foam and decorated our cards. The Cards can be about your state or theme with a Holiday. You can also use fun foam and construction paper - Use your imagination or simply set a bunch of stuff out and let the girls figure it out. |
| Post Card recordkeeping If you choose to exchange all state cards, keep track of which states you have received and who you have sent your state cards to. You only need to send one card to each state if doing an all state exchange. If exchanging with a just a few troops, be sure to get the first names of each girl in the troop you are sending to. And, be sure to prepare a card for each girl. Please be careful when doing this. If you are short a card or two, hurt feelings will happen. We always send three or four extra cards, just in case. Our troop puts these cards in their scrapbooks. Most times, an all state post card exchange, will only send you one card. Make an All State Binder to keep all the cards in and available for the girls to view at meetings. |
| The cost of Post card exchanging This varies, depending on how many troops you send to. You will need several envelopes big enough to hold multiple post cards, without having to fold them. You will also need postage to cover the cost of the envelopes as well as the weight. An all state exchange will cost you per post card, as you will be sending one card to every state. Plus, there is the cost of store bought cards. I tend to buy in books. You can find post card books at book stores. I found one that had 30 post cards for 3.99. So shop around. If you make homemade cards, you will need supplies. Card stock works well. Construction paper can be used too. Felt tip markers, crayons, glue, etc. I would not advise making homemade
cards for an all state exchange as this is not fair to
the troops collecting a card from every state. If you
choose to make homemade cards, make sure the troop you
are exchanging with is aware of this. |
Remember, exchanging post cards is fun and very special. Make sure you all are having fun (you too, leader). If it becomes work, the you and the girls will hate it. Daisy Troop 1503 sends a SWAP to a new troop each month. |
This has got to be the most fun I have ever had. Hosting a mascot takes a lot of care and very little work. Your girls will be the one's to most of the hosting. Depending on how long the visiting mascot will be in your care will determine what you can do with her. She usually arrives with a journal and often times little gifts for your troop. She should also have a letter of introduction and info on the troop who sent her. Don't worry, Mascot's don't just show up. They are prearranged with you ahead of time. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE...Mascots need a lot of hugs and must be taken care of very well. And no matter what happens, be sure and I can not stress this enough, be sure that the mascot you hosted gets back to her troop. The little girls that sent her to you would be heart broken if she were lost.
What is a mascot you ask? Very simply, a small stuffed animal that your troop names. Ideal, in my opinion would be a mascot about 8 to 10 inches tall and very, very soft. We found a small teddy bear (we're in Montana) and are making her a little Daisy Tunic to wear. Well, you will read more about that in the next paragraph.
Ok, so maybe this is the most fun I have had. You need to find just the right Mascot for your troop. If possible, take the girls with you. Don't spend a lot of money for her (she just might get lost on her adventure). You might want to prepare the girls for the possibility that their mascot may be lost... Or better yet, do a mascot the way we do. This ensures, your mascot will arrive safely back home.
Once you have your Mascot, have the troop name her. You can make her a bit more special by doing little things. Such as, and earring in the ear, A cute little dress or a mini tee shirt with your state logo on it. Do anything that makes her yours. Ok, now that you have your Mascot, here are step by step things you should do before sending her out on her own.
1) Purchase or have troop make
a small journal. This can be something as simple as a small
note book or stapled sheets of paper. You decide.
2) You will need to purchase Post Cards of your state.
Other troops enjoys these because they are seeing places they may
not have seen before. Another idea, might be to take a few
pictures of your Mascot at your favorite places. Be careful
about putting pictures of your troop in this. You never
know who might get the mascot. We take pictures of the girls in
the distance and their backs are to us. So the picture is
of the site with several little girls off in the distance.
AND, don't include last names of the girls nor their addresses.
3) Gift or swap for the the hosting troop or for each girl.
This is kind of a thank you gift to the Hosts.
4) A letter of introduction. Not only to introduce you and
your troop but also to introduce your mascot. Here is ours.
5) Passport or ID card. This is fun for the girls to
make. Make places on it so that the hosting troop can ad a
sticker or a small picture, etc. Or the Hosting troop may
simply want to write in their states initials.
6) Council Patch. This one is up to you. You can send
one along for the Hosting Troop to add to their Troop Scrapbook.
We have thought about sending a troop patch instead. The
girls are making them and I am laminating them. Still, nice
for the Hosting Troop to have.
7) Things for your area. You can go to your Chamber of
Commerce and get free brochure's for the Hosting Troop. We
have an awesome Museum here and get things about it.
8) A small backpack. This is not necessary but will help
keep things in order and safely packed. It only needs to be
large enough to hold the journal and gifts, etc.
Now here is where we differ from other troops. The traditional Mascot is supposed to be sent to the first host troop and then they are supposed to send it to the next host troop and so on. With the Mascot returning home toward the end of the Girl Scout year. We don't do it this way. Because we are a Daisy Troop and most of our girls are 5 years old, if we waited until the end of the year to get our mascot back, the girls would lose interest and we would be taking a chance that our Mascot would be lost.. So, we send our mascot to the first host and after a set time, they return her back to us. Then we send her to the next host with everything listed above and something from the first host as well. This way, if all goes well, our mascot should be home each month or so. And each troop gets a little something special from the mascots visits.
Here is a list of the forms we
use in handling our Mascot.
Greetings Letter (sent to troop prior to sending Mascot)
Confirmation Letter (sent with the Greetings Letter)