A Memory

This idea will work well for Tiger Cubs or Wolves. Get a large roll of butcher's paper or brown wrapping paper. Have the Cub lay on top of it and have the parents draw the outline of their body. Have the Cubs personalize it, drawing in their face, writing down their favorite things. Be sure to date it and that their names are on it. Keep these for the Cubs and give them back to them upon graduation from the Pack or even when they receive their Eagles.

Mike Bowman, my esteemed colleague and Vice-President at USSSP compiled these great ideas on what to do with all those CDs are just sitting around. As Mike sez, "Don't toss 'em. Save 'em!"

At many craft stores you can by a clock movement that will fit right in the hole in the center. Paint a few numbers on the shiny side and you've got a fairly inexpensive clock.

Save a bunch of them and towards the year end holiday season you can hot glue them together to form a triangle with about five or six across at the bottom. Insert flashing holiday lights and you have an instant holiday tree with the shiny CD surface acting as a big reflector. Great gift item to give from a den to a retirement home or to add to a church's festive decorations.

On the other hand if you have loads of them, you could do three of them and make a pyramid with flashing lights on all three sides. Don't know what you'd use if for, but I suspect somebody imaginative can come up with a use. ;-)

Glue a couple dozen together. Sit it on the floor and insert a six-foot dowel rod in the hole. Instant flag stand for a skinny flagpole - just about right for a homemade den flag or may be a sign that you use at a meeting.

Use 'em for a set of trail markers or orienteering checkpoints - portable and reusable. Just paint them different colors. Collect them when you are done and use again.

Quick game - have a rolling contest to see who can roll one the farthest on its edge.

Use the CD's for trail lights at night. Fill a number ten can about a third full of water. Put a candle through the hole in the CD. Place the CD/candle on the surface of the water inside the can. Light candle. When done blow out candle and turn upside down.

Use the CD's for night trail markers. Paint outside edge about an inch all the way around with a color to denote the trail. Place each CD on ground within view of the next. Scouts with a flashlight aimed downward see the bright reflection from the shiny side (unpainted area).

Use the CD's for a toss in the bucket game. Mark a line. Place a wash bucket or wastebasket at a reasonable distance. Have Scouts try to fling the CD into the bucket for points.

Use the CD's for signaling (same way you used to use mirrors)

Use the CD's for a software graveyard on Halloween - bury half way in ground at regular intervals. (Someone had way too much time on his or her hands for this one)

Use them for tent markers. Each Scout's first name is on a CD. Run twine through hole and hang from tent pole. Is said to help Scout remember which tent is home for a week at camp.

Use them for cowboy hat decorations. Cut off bottom half of medium paper cup. Invert and tape to center of CD. Paint light brown with dark brown hatband from ribbon glued on. Instant wild west momento.

Safety kit. One disposable luminescent tube and CD for each family car. You can buy the tubes at camping and auto stores. When you bend the tube the glass inside breaks and the chemical reaction produces light. By inserting the tube through the CD, you get a reflective surface making it easier to see the light. Apparently you can also take this idea a little farther - leave a few inches of the tube on one side and put that and the edge of the CD on the ground pointed where you want people to see it. Put several of these on the sides of a trail from a campfire area at camp leading toward the parking lot for visitors to help them find their way back to their cars. Another use is as an ornamental sun-catcher. Use silicon sealer to glue two of them together label to label. Drill a small hole near the rim and suspend with string.

Still another use is as a race car pinewood derby center piece. Run short sections of dowel through two evenly spaced CDs to form axle and wheel sets.

Use cardboard and masking tape to form the body of the car (use your imagination). Decide what shape you want and make a template for the side of each car. Cut out separate pieces for the sides. Cut out pieces for the front, hood, seat area, and back. Tape together. Spray paint the wheels black before assembly. Spray paint the body red, yellow or whatever before assembly. Sit the body on the dowels and you have a very large "derby car" center piece. Additional suggestion is to paint several cars blue and several gold. Use them for Blue & Gold table centerpieces. How's that for a very cheap project?