An Introduction to the Basics of a
Troop Mascot
COURSE 2
Hi Classmates! How did we do in course 1? Are you excited about a Troop Mascot? Are you ready for more details? Well, let's get started with our next lesson. Remember if you have questions or need help, click the e-mail button at the bottom of the page to e-mail the Mascot Mom.

What to send with your Mascots. Again there is no right or wrong answer. I can give you suggestions and tell you what has worked for us in the past and you can decide for yourself. Everything we send with our mascots is marked with our troop number and our e-mail address. We send a Journal (see below) with our mascots. Like all Girl Scouts we use the buddy system, and our mascots travel with a very small stuffed animal (ours are called pocket pals - Wal-Mart - .98 cent). We always take a hat and a bandana when we go outside our meeting place so we have included one for our mascots. The bandana can be signed by the hosting troops. We include a 3D map of our City and a beautiful picture tour book of our City. We try to include the most current publication from our Council so other troops can see what we have available at home. We also send a small photo album (the soft ones at the photo counter at the grocery store - $1.00. We took the slide in covers out and made our own). Some troops send backpacks or carry bags for all their stuff. We include an envelope (manila 5 x 7) addressed to each hosting troop. It contains a letter from our troop to the hosting troop, a council patch, a special swap (Skip & Rolly?s are fun foam Chili peppers and Lulu Belle?s is a fun foam cow), a postcard from our City, printed address labels for the host to use when sending our mascot out to the next troop. We also include completed Delivery Conformation forms. We've seen disposable cameras with logs to mark down what troop took what picture (photo #1 is troop # 513). Mascots have brought situpons, vests, blankets, clothes, bags and just about anything else troops feel a mascot needs.
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The Journal - To see a samples of our Journal click on the underlined topics. We have recreated some of our forms in HTML as examples. In Word 97 format they print out as 1 page.
  1. We have found that a journal that holds regular paper (8 1/2 x 11) works best. So many people now use their computers to do journal pages. We use regular softsided 3 ring binders 1/2 - 1 inch thick. They are lightweight and inexpensive (Wal-Mart .98 cents). They come in lots of different colors (we pick the colors that matches our themes).
  2. The journal holds the itinerary. It is very important to have your schedule in the journal. We have all the hosts information listed on the itinerary -
    Month to host
    Hosts Name
    Troop Level and number
    Address
    Telephone number (with area code)
    E-mail address
    Council Name and Phone number (with area code)
    Alternate Contact with E-mail and Phone number

    The format is up to you, this is just a suggestion. Be sure to add your troop info for the trip home or in case someone needs to get a hold of you.

  3. Your Mascots story and/or troop, council, town, state info should also go in the journal. We have a story that goes with our mascots, it tell how they became mascots in our troop. Our mascots also travel with their adoption certificates, permission slip and health history form and instructions for hosting our Mascot.
  4. The journal is where hosting troop will record their adventures with your mascots. Some troops have the journal divided into sections by month or by troop. Some include extra paper or page protectors. It is entirely up to you!
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    Now What? Now let's pretend you pick your mascot. The idea is for the mascot to be a representative of the troop. You do want this mascot to be a part of the troop right? Once your troop has picked a mascot, and it?s box is all ready to go, let the girls in the troop host it from one meeting to the next. Let the girls get to know the mascot and crete memories of their own. Maybe ask your sister troop to host for a month. This can be a good practice run for setting up the itinerary.