Scout Service From Home

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Civic Service From Home / #GoodTurnDaily - List of 15 Awesome ways to do your Good Turn Daily safely from home during Covid-19. During a global pandemic - scouting service is more urgently needed!

This is needed now more than ever. Now that scouts are spending more time at home - now is time for a spring cleaning or other major service project. Report your service projects in Scoutbook or to your unit leader.

From B.S.A. Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge Req #7: "Do the following: a) Take part in an emergency service project, either a real one or a practice drill, with a Scouting unit or a community agency. b) Prepare a written plan for mobilizing your troop when needed to do emergency service. If there is already a plan, explain it. Tell your part in making it work."

Invite a Friend to Scouting

Many of the youth in your neighborhood are stuck at home and their favorite group activities for sports, music, theater, STEM, etc have been canceled. Give them something exciting to look forward to and invite them to your next scouting online meeting!

NOTE: Scouts do not have to wait until the next Troop meeting to do Scouting Fun! Each Patrol is a "Boy-Led Scout Unit" and they can/should organize fun activities on their own. Here is a starter guide for Patrol Leaders to run fun activities on their own and to include their patrol, buddies and friends : Patrol Leader Merit Badge Planning Guide. We will be adding more "at-home" Merit Badge activities to this guidebook as fast as we can!

International Scout Spirit Award

  • International Scout Spirit Award - Scouts BSA - The International Spirit Award is a temporary emblem that is awarded to registered Scouts and Scouters who have completed the necessary requirements, have gained a greater knowledge of international Scouting, and have developed a greater appreciation and awareness of different cultures and countries. This award serves as a replacement for, and therefore eliminates, the International Activity emblem and the Youth Exchange emblem. The International Spirit Award emblem is $4.00 each and is purchased from the International Department.

Virtual Chat with Elderly

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Not just your grandparents, but check our senior care homes in your neighborhood. Lots of lonely senior citizens could use your letter, email, text or phone call right now!

"A Scout is Cheerful": All compassionate visits should be cheerful, positive, kind, friendly and uplifting!

Tele Conferencing with Grandma

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You can interview your grandparents and other relatives. You can also record your interview. Begin with the following questions to interview and start on a life history: 20 Questions to Ask Your Grandma & Grandpa

  1. What is your full name, and what are the names of your parents and siblings?
  2. How did your parents choose your name, and does it have a special meaning?
  3. Did you have any nicknames?
  4. When and where were you born?
  5. When and where were your family members born?
  6. What kinds of things did your family do together when you were young?
  7. Who were some of your friends, and what are your fondest memories of spending time with them?
  8. What schools did you attend?
  9. What were your favorite subjects in school?
  10. Who were your favorite teachers, and why were they your favorite?
  11. How did you meet Grandpa/Grandma? How did Grandpa propose?
  12. When and where were you married?
  13. What are your children’s names, and when and where were they born?
  14. What are some special memories you have about your children?
  15. Where have you lived?
  16. Who have you worked for, and what jobs did you do?
  17. Has faith or religion played a role in your life?
  18. What did you do to get through the difficult times in your life?
  19. What are your favorite holiday memories and traditions?
  20. What are some of your favorite things (such as favorite colors, flowers, books, songs, foods,

or pets)?

Senior Care Homes

This activity can be done by a scout zoom group, scout families or by individual scouts: Contact a local senior care home in your neighborhood. For your video visit - refer to the 20 questions above to start conversation. Ask if they are open to any of the following options:

  1. Individual Zoom video chats using iphone, kindle or laptop service.
  2. Group Zoom video chats with youth and seniors - a group of youth entertain a group of adults on Zoom.
  3. Emails from youth sent to home director who then prints and distributes letters to residents
  4. Regular letters from youth sent to home directory who then distributes to residents

Good Neighbor Service Project

Have any of your neighbor's been adversely affected by the current crisis? Maybe they could use a cheerful face and extra hand.

  1. Send a thank you message to a local hospital, care giver or first responder.
  2. Team Rubicon USA - #NeighborHelpingNeighbor
  3. JustServe.org - Find Organized Service Projects in your community. Post your service project here for greater community response.

Blood Bank Shortage

For ages 16+ When You Give Blood, You're Saving The Lives Of Up To 3 People. Make An Impact Today. Blood Donor Programs. Saving Lives Today. Community-Wide Impact.

  1. Donate Blood - Severe Blood Shortage, Donors Urgently Needed (Age 16+) Right now, eligible and healthy donors are strongly urged to make an appointment to provide lifesaving blood products to patients. Please give now.

"You must be at least 17 years old to donate to the general blood supply, or 16 years old with parental/guardian consent, if allowed by state law. There is no upper age limit for blood donation as long as you are well with no restrictions or limitations to your activities." (San Diego Blood Bank)

At Home Sewing Projects

Project Linus

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This is an organization that makes and accepts homemade blankets to give to children all over the world. You can make 1 or more no-tie fleece blankets to donate to Project Linus. You will find the directions here: ProjectLinus.org You may purchase the materials for the blankets from the following companies:

Lifting Hands International

This is an organization that makes quilts and pillows for refugees. They need 75,000 handmade cards that say “YOU ARE LOVED” with handmade decorations (hearts, stars, rainbows, etc.) to place in packages they deliver. The ONLY words are to be “YOU ARE LOVED” with whatever design your desire. No size requirements but 3x5 cards work well. Requirements for cards: 1) 3x5 cards or cut up pieces of paper; 2) colored markers; 3) desire to make cards to help someone in need feel loved. Once completed you will mail the cards you make to:

Dollies for Covid Children in Hospitals

AKA: Dollies 4 Doctors This is an organization that makes dolls for children in hospital. They need help with cutting, sewing or stuffing the dolls. Requirements: a) Cutting out patterns – using a pattern to cut fabric. Requires good scissors and good hand eye coordination. b) Sewing - requires a sewing machine and sewing skill or a parent or sibling at home that could help you sew. c) Stuffing - stuffing the sewn dolls with batting. (Contact information: Dollies4Doctors.com

Other Home Sewing Projects

Family Life Service Project

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Scouts can work on the Family Life Service Project, an essential part includes Req #3 and Req #4, work projects abd chores that should be done in the home. The Family Life Merit Badge is required for Eagle Rank:

  • Req #3: Prepare a list of your regular home duties or chores (at least five) and do them for 90 days. Keep a record of how often you do each of them. Discuss with your counselor the effect your chores had on your family.
  • Req #4: With the approval of your parents or guardians and your merit badge counselor, decide on and carry out a project that you would do around the home that would benefit your family. Submit a report to your merit badge counselor outlining how the project benefited your family.

Scouting for Food

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Scouting for Food does not require face-to-face contact and can be done anytime of the year. Charities are in very dire need of food and other household supplies - especially those hard to find paper good. Scouts deliver flyers announcing their day of curb-side pickup.

Covid-19 Modification: Scouts wear gloves and wipe down all donated packages with sanitizer wipes and wash their own hands frequently.

Contact your local scout commissioner or executive to get the new 2020 generic handouts.

If your community is in a 100% lockdown - supplying food to the needy still counts as an essential service. Scouts should have a letter from their scoutmaster affirming that the scout is participating in an essential service!

Scouting for Food can be done with ZERO human contact:

  1. Prepare door hangers/flyers to drop at everyone's doorstep/doorknob announcing time and date of pickup. (Most BSA Council's are sitting on extra large stacks of flyers ready for immediate use. Find out more at District Roundtable.
  2. Ask for needed food, canned goods and other common household products that are in extreme demand by our shelters right now.
  3. All donations must be in a bag on their porch/doorstep.
  4. Scouts and their adult driver wear disposable gloves when they pick up donations.
  5. Cover the car truck area with a plastic sheet
  6. Drop donations at the doorstep of the food bank without going inside. (Call them first for appointment)
  7. Dispose of all bags, gloves and plastic liners afterwards.

DONE - 100% Safe / 100% Social Distancing


Family Name Indexing

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This service project will help you get very familiar with the Genealogy Merit Badge. Many young people love this project as it helps them get very familiar with computers, modern technology and cracking the mysteries of history.

"Your help is needed! Indexing is convenient and vital to making the world’s records searchable online."

FamilySearch Indexing is a volunteer project established and run by FamilySearch, a genealogy organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The project aims to create searchable digital indexes of scanned images of historical documents that are relevant to genealogy. First Launched in 2006.

Charter Organization Service

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  • Many of our scouting charter partners have extraordinary service needs right now. Contact them directly. Each one of them has unique service needs.
  • Many scout units are already have established partnerships with local charities. Contact them directly for ways to help.
  • Does your scout unit not have a charity partnership? Now may be a good time to start a new one.
  • Interfaith Community Services
  • Salvation Army Food Drive - an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible.

Public Safety Announcements

Be Creative

  • [09-Apr-2020] : "Didn't anyone besides me see the wonderful lead off segment on Morning Joe (MSNBC) this morning of a 13 year old Scout bugling in front of a Veteran's Home this morning?"

Life Scout Conservation Service

"While a Star Scout, participate in six hours of service through one or more service project(s) approved by your Scoutmaster. At least three hours of this service must be conservation-related." Note: Some of these items may cover a merit badge requirement.


  1. Wildlife sanctuaries may need help to care for their animals or to maintain their facility if the regular workers are unavailable. Animal rescue is an "essential service" and may be justified during this time. Call your local zoo, etc.
  2. Virtual tutoring to cub scouts and local school groups about the importance of "Conservation".
  3. Make Masks for workers at local "Conservation" agencies so that they can continue their "essential" duties.
  4. Build a Birdhouse or Bird feeder
  5. Plant trees/garden at home or for a neighbor.
  6. Help elderly neighbors with their yard care.

Scouting Emergency Services

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Is your troop ready to perform the following services for a food distribution service or other such pandemic gathering?

  1. Crowd and traffic control (for a food distribution center)
  2. Messenger service and communication (for your charter organization)
  3. Collection and distribution services (food/supply curbside delivery to elderly shutins)
  4. Group feeding, shelter, and sanitation (food bank service aid)


From BSA Emergency Preparedness Req #8a - Tell the things a group of Scouts should be prepared to do, the training they need , and the safety precautions they should take for the following emergency services: a) Crowd and traffic control, b) Messenger service and communication, c) Collection and distribution services, d) Group feeding, shelter, and sanitation.


From BSA Emergency Preparedness Req #8b - Prepare a personal emergency service pack for a mobilization call. Prepare a family kit (suitcase or waterproof box) for use by your family in case an emergency evacuation is needed. Explain the needs and uses of the contents.

JustServe.org

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Trash Pickup

Actually this group is very active right now. Wear gloves and watch what you touch.

  • Add Step 9B: Put all your clothes in laundry immediately afterwards.

See Also