2nd hand Uniforms
Sarah Jones (sarah.jones@SAWASDI.APANA.ORG.AU)
Thu, 7 Dec 1995 11:55:30 +0930
G'day all,
I realize that the disscussion has died down somewhat over the last few days
about 2nd hand uniforms, but I havent seen this uggestion made yet....
People and especially kids, have birthdays and Christmas presents right? Well,
why not give the Grandparents and other family members such as Aunts and
Uncvles the chance to buy a part of the uniform?
for example, Grandparents on one side could buy for instance, the shorts, the
other set (if they are still lucky enough to see them) could buy the shirt,
Aunt or uncle could buy the socks, mum the belt and so on.
In Elizabeth District, weare in a high welfare dependant area....with
unemployment running at almost 50%....While I dont have any single parents
families, I do have many who have step parents (at least one of).
While at Elizabeth Grove Group, I did make the suggestion to a few people and
they were glad to be able to give the Grandparents a chance to buy something
that 1) the child wanted (after all, the child wanted to be in scouting and
wear the uniform) and 2) it was something that was needed by the child, instead
of something that they would eather play with or read for a few years then put
to one side.
Often the Uniform would be handed down to the next child as the first outgrew
it and went on to get a bigger size.
The other idea was to also buy the Uniform in such a size that it really did do
several years. Here, unlike in the states as far as Cubs go, we all wear the
same colour uniform (with the exception of Joeys, who dont wear it). I have
seen 8 year old Cubs in Uniofrms that really could be described as tents.
Shirts that come down to the knees and shorts that are almost pants and socks
that go all the way to the groin.
Yet, these uniforms were alss the same ones that saw the child right throgh
cubs and often a few years in scouts as well. So, while it may look a little
untidy to start with, by the time the scout had done it in (through out growing
it or wearing it out0 it did in fact fit properly.
The only other suggestion is to set up a second hand uniform collection. We
have ours all in a box and it is called a second hand unifrom box...another
group I know has a cub board full of uniform peices and so on. Often a parent
also comes in with them and says so and so down the road was cleaning out and
thought that you may be able to use the unifomr that son/daughter wore a few
years ago.
My cousin of 27 was a cub and his shirt is still doing the rounds of the street
where his parents still live. In fact, in one case, it is on it's second or
third vist to a family....
Hope this gives a few ideas for the up comming Christmas season for those who
dont know what to get and need a new uniform :)
YIS
Sarah
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