Camping Beads
(Troop 31 Camping Participation Beads)

The purposes of the beads are to:

  • Encourage participation in the Troop 31 outdoor program.
  • Provide recognition to the Scouts for their efforts
  • Provide a visual history (in chronological order) to help the Scout remember the highlights of their Scouting career.
  • Encourage the Scouts to try different style of camping (tenting during winter, or sleeping under the stars, etc)

The concept is - Scouts (and leaders) will get a colored bead for each night of camping to be worn on a leather belt device. There are different colored beads to represent various weather endured and adventures faced. The hope is, that we will get better participation due to the motivation provided by the recognition and perhaps by competition between the Scouts. We will use the leather belt device, with leather thongs to string the beads on. The Scouts should wear these to all meetings and Courts of Honor. All Troop, OA and Patrol outings count. Non-scout (family) outings do not count.

Color scheme: - one bead per night except where noted (if multiple conditions exist, Scout must choose one bead per night to represent most significant challenge (Example snow and below 0). Big (multi-day) trips only get one bead regardless of conditions.

Ivory (cream) - Cabin camping (regardless of weather or season)

Green - Regular 3 season overnight tent camping - in tent or under tarp

Blue (Clear) - Rain (overnight or majority of outing, sleep in tent or under tarp)

White - Snow (ground covered majority of outing)

Glow in Dark - Sleep outdoors, under the stars (without tent or tarp)

Clear - Sleep outdoors, below 32 degrees F.

Clear (w/sparkles) - Sleep outdoors, below 0 degrees F.

Red - Camporee

Blue - Special Troop Trips (Valley Forge, New York, Baltimore, Gettysburg, West Point, Weakend Cannoe Trips etc...)

Star (glow in the dark) - Summer Camp (one per week)

Gold (w/sparkle) - Jamboree - one per event

Large Brass Nut (solid) - Philmont - one per trek

Solid Brass Bead - Other high adventure (High Knoll, Algonquin, Adirondack, Alaska, New River, Etc..) one per trek.

Deer Antler - Order of the Arrow events (regardless of the conditions, One per event. Scout may get an additional "regular" bead to represent any additional nights)

Wooden Bead - Wood Badge (adult), JLTC (youth), (one per course)

Orange - Troop JLT

Small Brass Nut - Backpacking weekend trip (at least 10 miles)

Large Stainless Steel Nuts - 50 Miler Award Trek (one per trek)

Scouts and leaders will be awarded the Leather belt device upon completion of their first Troop camping event. If a Scout loses his belt device, a replacement can be purchased from the Troop Trading Post. Scouts need to see the "Bead Master" to get their beads. Scouts may bring a list of past campouts to the "Bead Master" to catch up on beads they are missing.