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ADVENTURE GUIDESThe YMCA of NWNC Adventure Guides Programs has many opportunities for development and recognition of leadership skills and opportunities. Both father and child work together in many aspects to grow in Spirit, Mind, and Body.
Colored feather patches are awarded, as per the requirements listed below, at the rate of one per month, with no definite order required. Only little Braves/Princesses earn the Red, Blue and Turquoise Feathers, which require memory work, with dad's coaching, of course. The remaining four feathers are by the Big and Little Brave/Princess concurrently. Each patch is attached to the bottom of the feather patch on your vest.
Feather Award Requirements Red Feather*: Know and repeat before tribe all the real and program names of each Big and Little Brave/Princess. Blue Feather*: Repeat all 7 parts of the Adventure Guides AIMS before tribe individually. Turquoise Feather*: Recite the pledge of the Adventure Guides program. Orange Feather: Arrange a night-off for mom/family member. Big and Little Brave/Princess plan, purchase, cook and serve dinner. After serving dinner, Big and Little Brave/Princess do the dishes. To earn this feather, a statement in writing to the Legend Keeper must be furnished. Yellow Feather: Complete a 2-mile walking hike with Big Brave. This can be a tribe outing such as the Fall Outing at Camp Hanes. A report should be made at the next tribe meeting, each Guide/Princess telling of interesting things observed. White Feather: Complete 1 overnight camping trip with Big Brave. (Recommended as tribe outing. Fall and Spring Outings do not count.) Green Feather: Complete 3 craft projects with Big Brave. These can be completed over a period of time. The projects will be presented to the tribe upon completion. The 3 do not have to be presented at the same meeting. The Tallykeeper will keep an accurate record of the projects.
Patches, beads and bear claws are provided by the Program Office. Remember that father and child must complete the tasks together.
Physical 1. Learn proper safety and care of an air rifle, .22 or shotgun and report to tribe. 2. Big and Little Brave/Princess swim at least 100 feet, tread water or float for 5 minutes. 3. Have a physical fitness program daily for 30 days with Big Brave working up to at least 25 sit-ups, 12 push-ups, 25 leg and head-ups while lying stomach down on floor and 3 minutes running in place. 4. Plant a garden containing at least 3 different plants. 5. Rig a fishing line with hook, float and sinker, and catch at least 1 fish. 6. Go horseback riding with dad and report to tribe. 7. Participate in a YMCA or recreation team sport and have dad coach, keep score or help the coach at practices and/or games. 8. Make at least 1 hunting or fishing trip with Big Brave, making a report to tribe. (#5 cannot be accomplished in same trip.) 9. Overnight camping trip (father and son/daughter or with tribe) and/or hike 3 miles (father and son/daughter or tribe). 10. Night off for Mom - Planning and preparing a meal and cleaning up afterwards. 11. Go on a family bike ride, observing safety rules. 12. While participating on an organized sports team, demonstrate good sportsmanship and report to the tribe how you did so. 13. Participate in a walk-a-thon or road race. 14. Take lessons together for a new hobby (tennis, golf, guitar, etc..). 15. Learn how to appropriately set a table and demonstrate this at a tribe meeting.
Mental 1. Volunteer with your tribe at the annual YMCA Mistletoe Run at a cheer section or water station. 2. Learn and describe the 5 fresh water fish found in our area and draw or find a picture of each, making a report to the tribe. 3. Learn and describe 5 wild animals in our area and draw or find a picture of each, making a report to the tribe. 4. Identify 8 trees in North Carolina and make a leaf and bark display of the trees, making a report to the tribe. 5. Visit 2 other tribes with Big Brave, Little Brave/Princess reporting to the tribe concerning visit. (Permission of host tribe must be obtained in advance of visit.) 6. Browse the Saura Nation website (www.ymcaag.org) and report to your tribe the resources available on the site. 7. Name the 8 planets in order from closest to farthest from the sun. 8. Using a compass, show the directions north, south, east and west. 9. With Big Brave's help, research and write a short paper (recommended 75-125 words) on the history of a Native American or tribe. Little Brave/Princess might also want to furnish a colored drawing illustrating the paper. 10. Using safety rules, Little Brave/Princess must build an outdoor fire using only material found in the forest. Matches may be used to start the fire. Little Brave/Princess will then cook a meal consisting of a meat and 1 vegetable for him/herself and Big Brave. 11. Spend half day (work day) with your dad learning what he does at work, then talk about that day at your next meeting. 12. With Big Brave's guidance, Little Brave/Princess conducts daily family devotional (other than the meal blessing) for 1 week. 13. Prepare a display of 5 or more different rocks and identify before tribe. 14. Learn and recite the YMCA mission statement and the 5 values the YMCA promotes (Faith in God, Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Caring). 15. Develop a plan for your family if an emergency occurs at your house. Visit your local fire department or police station.
Craft (Meeting crafts are not applied toward the yearly goals.) 1. Participate in the Y-Sail Program by purchasing and building a sailboat. 2. Make a birdhouse and report on birds using it. 3. Make a bird feeder and report on birds using feeder over a period of a week. 4. Make a homemade kite that will fly, and fly it. 5. Build a family bulletin board and display its use to the tribe at the time of meeting in your home. 6. Make a weather station containing weather vane, thermometer and rain gauge. Make observations over a 2-week period and give report to tribe. 7. Do a sand painting design, bead design or leather design. 8. Build a model from a kit or original materials. 9. Make a photo display from photos taken by Little Brave/Princess. 10. Make a holiday decoration (carved pumpkin, Christmas ornament, Valentine's Day card, Easter egg) show it to the tribe and display it in your home. 11. Learn to tie 5 knots and present them to the tribe at a meeting.
To earn the wings of the totem pole, your tribe must: 1. Take an overnight camping trip. 2. Take a 4-mile hike. These can be earned on the same trip.
Community service awards can be earned for participation in any of the service projects suggested below. You may participate in others.
An Eagle Claw is awarded to a Brave/Princess who earns all their feathers, compass points and totem pole pieces for all 3 years. The eagle claw award winners are recognized during the Spring Outing.
Suggested Community Service Activities - Volunteer with your tribe at the annual YMCA Mistletoe Run at a cheer section or water station. - Participate in the YMCA's annual fundraising drive, "Partner With Youth." - Participate in a fundraising walkathon, such as "Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure." - Participate in a community clean-up of some kind. - Visit a relative/family friend in a retirement community. Taking festive holiday decorations made by the tribe is also a good idea. - Provide a service for a "home-bound" person (rake leaves, help make and take dinner, run errands). - Collect canned goods for a food bank or homeless shelter. - Participate in a holiday service project. (Angel Tree, Operation Christmas Child, etc.) - Father/child teach a Sunday School class. - Help tutor at the YMCA. - Write a letter of thanks to a service person overseas. - Participate in a Crop Gleaning with the Society of St. Andrew.
The Chief sees that there is continuity in the meetings, conducts portions of the meetings, presides at "Dads Only" meetings, delegates assignments and serves as the contact person for the tribe. The Chief also represents the tribe at the Chief's Meetings and provides essential communications with the Program Office.
The selection of the Chief should not be taken lightly. The Chief sets the tone for the success of the tribe. Pick a dad who exhibits leadership and organizational qualities. Remember, success just doesn't happen - you make it happen.
The Sachem assumes the duties of the Chief in his absence. He should always have a story, trick or game in his back pocket in case another Big Brave forgets his assignment.
Wampum Bearer The Wampum Bearer is responsible for the collection, safe keeping and reporting of all monies and tribe equipment. Annual dues and Nation Event fees may be collected and forwarded to the Program Office by the Chief and/or Wampum Bearer by the established deadline.
It's important that the Guide/Princess assist his/her father in the performance of his assigned duties. During the third year, Guides and Princesses may assume more and more responsibility for planning and conducting activities.
Wampum is the Indian name for money. (Originally the Indians traded beads.) It's an important aspect of the program. Wampum relates directly to the pledge; earning money for the tribe while performing a service for family or community. Dad and child perform the service together. Simple chores such as, "I cleaned my room," should be discouraged.
The collection of wampum can be one of the most effective portions of the tribal meeting for both the child and father. It gives the children a chance to learn about the value of money, to gain confidence in speaking before the tribe, to be inspired to do things for others and to listen while other children report. Wampum is then given to the tribe for the good of the tribe (service to the tribe).
The Tallykeeper is responsible for keeping attendance at the tribal meetings. Each meeting, this father takes written notes as well as presents an oral Tallykeeper's report about the previous meeting. The Tallykeeper keeps record of and distributes attendance beads and earned awards. If your tribe has completed an awesome craft or gone on a special outing, you may wish to send a copy of the Tallykeeper's report to the Program Office.
The Fetchum is responsible for all supplies needed for the tribe, regalia used in the tribe's meetings, manuals, beads, bear claws and going to the Program Office when needed.
Remember that both you and your child are officers. Have an officer's patch on both of your vests and share the responsibilities with them.
Large YMCAs that have several branches offering the YMCA Adventure Guides programs, or perhaps a cluster of YMCAs within a designated YMCA of the USA Neighborhood or region, might choose to present the "Joe Friday Award" to a worthy recipient. The Joe Friday Award is named after the Native American who gave Harold Kelther the idea for starting the YMCA parent-child program. This award was conceived for volunteers who do an outstanding job of donating their time, efforts and resources to improve the YMCA parent-child programs beyond their local Federation or YMCA. Some YMCAs extend eligibility to outstanding staff members as well.
General criteria for eligibility for the Joe Friday Award are as follows: The nominee must be an active member or past program member or on the YMCA staff for at least 2 years. The award is presented at the Spring Outing.
Past Winners:
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One red crow bead is awarded each Big Brave and Guide/Princess for attendance at any tribal gathering. At each fifth meeting/outing, a bear claw is awarded in lieu of a bead. An arrowhead is awarded at the Spring Outing to each Brave, Guide or Princess that earns all their feathers, compass points or totem pieces for the year. The beads and bear claws are provided at the Program Office.
Second Year Awards are categorized into 3 different areas: Physical, Mental or Craft. A compass point patch, to be attached to the Second Year Award patch, is earned by fulfilling the requirement listed in 1 of the 3 areas. Out of the 8 compass points earned, at least 2 must be earned from each area. This means that no more than 4 compass points can be earned from any 1 of the 3 areas. 
Awards for the third year focus on community service. By completing a community service activity, the Brave/Princess receives 1 of 5 patches that together form a totem pole.
Chief
Sachem
Tallykeeper
Fetchum