29 Boy Scout Merit Badges to work on at The Gathering Oct. 30 - Nov. 1

There are 29 of the 100 Boy Scout merit badges available to work on during The Gathering Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in Berryville, Va.  
     “This is one of those ‘once in a life-time’ opportunities for youth in our community,” said Rene’ White retired USAF and executive director for The Gathering. “Boy Scouts should get in touch with their

merit badge counselor and explain that they  want to earn badges at this historic Native American / Virginia Gourd Festival.”
    The Gathering is chuck full of opportunities to recognize the achievements of your Cub Scouts and Adult Awards as well. With the help of a counselor / parent, here are the official requirements of the Boy Scouts of America web site and includes these badges that can be worked on or completed at The Gathering:

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American Cultures Badge.  Choose The Gathering as your festival and talk with Native American Indians from different tribes. Learn a Native American Indian song, dance or story.

Can Almost be Completed at The Gathering.

American Heritage Badge.  Look at Native American Indian political leaders and the influence of Native American Indian contributions to the Declaration of Independence.

Partial Completion at The Gathering.

Archaeology Badge.  Investigate Native American Indian artifacts in Virginia using clues Indian people left behind. Try to understand how and why Indigenous culture has changed through time. Learn to make an arrowhead at The Gathering. Visit the Paleo-Indian Site in Clarke County, Va.

Partial Completion at The Gathering.

Archery Badge.  Study with experts at The Gathering who can provide an introduction to those who are new to the bow and arrow. Learn to flint nap too.

Collect information at The Gathering to help complete this one.

Architecture Badge. 
Contact us to help erect a tee pee. Learn what the parts of a tee pee are and actually assemble a real one. The tee pee goes up before The Gathering, probably on Oct. 26-27. Contact [email protected] to find out more. Learn about other Native American Indian shelters.

Partial Completion at The Gathering.

Art Badge. Take 45 Gourd Classes offered at The Gathering. Talk with the gourd vendors selling and teaching about gourd products. Talk with master gourd artists about the history and design principles of this fine art. Build useful tools using gourds. Make a gourd drum, lamp stand, gourd rattle and more. Visit the Three Sisters Art Show at the Barns of Rose Hill two miles away in Berryville Va.

Much of this can be accomplished during The Gathering.

Backpacking Badge. Backpack to The Gathering and camp out over the weekend. Develop an even deeper respect for the outdoors.

Aggressive troop leaders are invited to bring boy scouts to camp out at The Gathering. Call to discuss tent camping rates or barter.

Basketry Badge.  Study Native American Indian basketry techniques and designs. Weavers will also be at The Gathering teaching weaving, which could carry over into your basket weaving techniques.

Small amount of info at The Gathering; watch, meet and learn weaving techniques from master yarn weavers.

Camping Badge. Pitch a tent in Tee Pee Town at The Gathering with your leader or family. Join others around a fire as we celebrate Thanksgiving and humanity at The Gathering.

Aggressive troop leaders are invited to bring boy scouts to camp out at The Gathering. Call to discuss tent camping rates or barter.

Collecting Badge.  Collect and study Native American Indian leather-works, arrowheads, jewelry, fabrics and more. Join us at the Twilight Auction on Sat. Oct. 31 and watch and participate in collecting all types of things including a bone knife.

Begin collecting Native American Indian items, gourd items or earth friendly things available at The Gathering.

Emergency Preparedness Badge.  Talk with professional emergency preparedness professional and with first responders with the Blue Ridge Fire and Rescue at The Gathering. Learn to react to an emergency situation. 

Collect information at The Gathering to help with this badge.

Fly-fishing Badge.  Participate in live fly-fishing demonstrations at The Gathering with Project Healing Waters. This non-profit helps military veterans deal with PTSD using fly-fishing.

Accomplish most of this at The Gathering (bring your requirements list).

Forestry Badge. Study with vendors at The Gathering like the Master Naturalist and U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conversation Service. Talk with a Native American Bee Keeper and learn about bees and trees.

Interview and collect info at The Gathering for this badge.

Gardening Badge. Meet, study and visit Master Gardeners, Master Naturalist, Registered Medical Herbalist and Agricultural Exhibits at The Gathering. Be sure to visit the USDA interactive soil display.

Visiting The Gathering should count as a visit to your county extension agent’s office or university. Learn how honey bees are used in pollinating food crops and problems facing the bee population today. Learn about garden pests and solutions. Learn about organic methods.

Genealogy Badge.  Exploring your roots to determine if you have Native American Indian ancestry. The Gathering Genealogist will not be able to attend The Gathering, but you can call her. Her name is Ms. Joyce and she lives in Pinckneyville, IL. Her phone number is (618) 303-6164. Discovery your Indian ancestors.

Contact The Gathering's professional genealogist to get ideas on how to begin your family tree. Find out if you have Native American ancestry.

Geocache Badge.  Participate and learn about Native American Indian Games and Geocaching at The Gathering. The word geocache is a combination of "geo," which means "earth," and "cache," which means "a hiding place." Geocaching describes a hiding place on Mother Earth.

Receive an introduction to Geocache through Native American games during Friday's Kidz Harvest Fest Oct. 30.

Indian Lore Badge.  Far different from the stereotypes or common images that are portrayed on film, on television, and in many books and stories, American Indians have many different cultures, languages, religions, styles of dress, and ways of life. To learn about these different groups is to take an exciting journey of discovery to The Gathering where you can meet some of America's most fascinating peoples.

Complete this one at The Gathering.

Leatherwork Badge.  Explore different types of leather and hides from masters Trading Post Vendors and Living History Exhibitors at The Gathering. Learn to make a useful leather items using the same types of raw materials that our ancestors used; be challenged to master skills like hand-stitching, lacing, and braiding.; and learn how to preserve and protect leather items so they will last a lifetime and beyond.

Nearly complete this one at The Gathering.

Music Badge.  Study the Native American Indian drum and singers during the traditional Harvest Dance. The songs have different meanings and purposes. Feel free to talk with the singers and drummers. Our host drum is Yellow Child Singers (Bi'yazhi' li'tsoi) which represents the young yellow buffalo. Our guest drum is Storm Boyz. Help preserve this rich culture.

Partially complete this at The Gathering: attend a live performance; learn Native American musical instruments; learn to make a gourd drum; learn a Native American Indian song or hymn.

Nature Badge.  There is a very close connection between the soil, the plants, and all animal life, including people. Understanding this connection, and the impact we have upon it, is important to preserving the wilderness, as well as to our own well-being as members of the web of nature. Experts are available for you at The Gathering.

Get a great start on this badge at The Gathering talking with experts.

Photography Badge.  Be creative at The Gathering. Capture historic images of our countries First Peoples TODAY. Indian people live and thrive today. Capture them at The Gathering and record a new history. Your photos will help tell us about this time in history.

Choose The Gathering as your topic of interest to photograph for an exhibit. Get your counselor's approval, then photograph Native American dancers, drummers and singers, bee keepers and more.

Plant Science Badge. Talk with a Master Naturalist and Registered Medical Herbalist at The Gathering to make a drawing and identify five or more parts of a flowering plant. Interview a Native American Bee Keeper from West Virginia about how  honeybees and other pollinating insects are important to plant life. Find out about the 10 local native plants growing near you that Native American Indigenous People used and still use.

Study and bring the requirements for this one to The Gathering; interview experts and gain helpful information to make earning this badge easier.

Public Speaking Badge. Contact the Executive Director of The Gathering (Mrs. Rene' 540-554-8730) and let her know you would like to give a 10-minute speech on a topic about Native American people and culture, Gourd art / history, agriculture or the environment. Deliver it in a conversational way at The Gathering.

Complete this requirement at The Gathering.

Reading Badge. Meet 10 different authors and illustrators at The Gathering. If     you have ever wanted to go back in time or read about a fantasy place or just curious about the world, these are all reasons why you should want to read. Reading is fascinating. Get the books directly from the author at The Gathering.

Work on this badge by reading about the world around you from any two authors at The Gathering.

Soil and Water Conservation Badge.
Conservation isn't just the responsibility of soil and plant scientists, hydrologists, wildlife managers, landowners, and the forest or mine owner alone. It is the duty of every person to learn more about the natural resources on which our lives depend so that we can help make sure that these resources are used intelligently and cared for properly. The USDA is at The Gathering. Let them help you with your badge.

Collect information from experts to create much of the requirements for this badge at The Gathering: soil, soil erosion, conservation, watershed and water pollution.

Sustainability Badge.  Get ideas for a sketch depicting how you would design a sustainable community at The Gathering. Write in your own words the meaning of sustainability. Present your speech as part of the Public Speaking Badge.

With information gained from The Gathering draw a rough sketch depicting how you would design a sustainable community. Find out about factors that are considered sustainable materials. Explore and learn about sustainable basics towards earning this badge.

Swimming Badge.  Stop by the Living History Exhibit with KIDS FIRST Swim Schools in Winchester will be explaining Native American Indian contributions to swimming. Add that to your swimming badge requirements. 

Learn how basic swimming survival skills have a place in Native American Indian history. Incorporate what you learn at The Gathering into your presentations about swimming.

Wilderness Survival Badge.  In their outdoor activities, Scouts learn to bring the clothing and gear they need, to make good plans, and do their best to manage any risks. But now and then, something unexpected happens. When things go wrong, the skills of wilderness survival can help make everything right again. Learn survival skills at The Gathering.

Learn how to make part of your personal survival kit by hand from what you learn at The Gathering. Learn how to start fires. Learn ways to protect yourself. Learn about animal skins and how to create proper clothing. Learn about edible plants and more. Great information to help with this badge at The Gathering.

Woodcarving Badge. Talk with Rose Powhatan Living History Exhibitor Professional Storyteller and master woodcarver. Mrs. Rose is known in Virginia for her carvings of totem poles. Talk with her about the basics of design, along with material selection and tools and techniques, as well as wood-carving safety. 

At The Gathering learn carving techniques and learn about different woods from Master Totem Artist Rose Powhatan.

Let the Spirit of The Gathering Catch You

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