Patch: Volkssporting

AGE LEVEL:   Girls must be old enough to walk, bike or ski by themselves.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:    A volksmarch is a non-competitive 6 mile (10 kilometer) walk. It's not a pledge walk, it's not a race, it is a fun activity you do with a club, with your family, with your pet, or all by yourself. Volksmarching got its name from its origins in Europe. Today there are thousands of volkssport clubs around the world. The American Volkssporting Association has a "Master Program" that honors adults and youth who participate together in volkssporting. Girl Scouts who participate in this program can earn a special patch from the AVA.

PATCH REQUIREMENTS: Complete all of the activities listed below. Because this is a fitness lifestyle award, the patches, medals, year bars and certificates are not awarded until the end of the calendar or school year. Therefore, you can take the entire year to earn the award. There is no pressure to rush through the requirements.

ACTIVITIES:

• Teams of Girl Scouts and adults must walk (or ride, cross-country ski or skate) in at least 12 sanctioned volkssporting events for distance credit either during the school year (September 1 to August 31) or the calendar year (January 1 to December 31).
• Teams must include at least one adult and one youth who volkssport for the same distance together during a 12-month period. An adult is anyone who turns 19 during the calendar year of the award.
• Team members must register, start and finish together.

TO REGISTER: Registration forms are available on the AVA Web site

After registering, the team receives a special logbook to keep track of each event.