August 2026 Newsletter
A Note from the Founder: Price Increase for Badges
Effective August 1, badge prices have increased to $1.25 for pins and $1.75 for magnets. This is only the second price increase in 20 years, and I did not make the decision lightly. My own costs — materials, shipping supplies, postage, and operating expenses — have increased steadily over the past few years to the point where I can no longer absorb them without making a change.
I waited as long as I could. If you have been a member for any length of time, you know that keeping prices low for families has always been important to me. That has not changed. But staying in business so I can continue to serve this community required this adjustment.
Here is the good news: our Annual January Badge Sale will return, and for the entire month of January all badge prices will drop back to $1.10 for pins and $1.50 for magnets. If you have a larger order you have been putting off, January is the time to place it.
Thank you for your continued support and your patience. This community is the reason I am still doing this after nearly 20 years, and I am grateful for every one of you.
— Kerry Cordy
Celebrate With Us!
While January 19, 2027 is our official 20 year anniversary, all of this really began with a parent meeting at a local park in October of 2006. So I have organized a 20 year reunion for the original members of Troop #101 that started it all in that very same park. Everyone who is, or ever has been, a Frontier Girl, Quest member or Curiosity Untamed member is welcome to join us if you can make the trip to northern California. Come meet some of the girls who started it all!
There will be a small ceremony, games, crafts, tall flags and more. Lunch will be provided for anyone who RSVPs. If you show up last minute (and you are welcome to), I only ask that you bring your own lunch and camping chair in case seating gets limited.
- DATE: Oct. 3, 2026
- TIME: 11am to 2pm
- PLACE: Kids Kingdom Pavilion at Enterprise Park – 4000 Victor Ave, Redding, CA 96002
I will be making official SWAPS for the event. If anyone would like to SWAP with me or anyone else, please bring SWAPS to share. Any scrapbooks or other items you would like to show off are also welcome.
New Badges Added
Star Gazing Badge – Discover Science and Technology – Learn to identify major constellations, understand how stars are classified, and explore the tools and techniques used for observing the night sky.
Hammocks Badge – Discover the Outdoors – Learn the history of hammocks, how to hang one safely in different environments, and explore the practical and recreational uses of hammocks in outdoor settings.
Farmers Market Badge – Discover Agriculture – Explore how farmers markets work, learn about seasonal and locally grown foods, and discover the relationship between small farms and the communities they serve.
Hands-On Activity: Backyard Star Map
This activity pairs with the Star Gazing Badge and works equally well for a family evening at home or a troop campout.
Materials Needed:
- A printable star map for your location and the current month.
- A red flashlight or a regular flashlight with red cellophane taped over the lens (red light preserves night vision)
- A blanket or lawn chairs
- A notebook and pencil for recording observations
- Optional: a beginner’s telescope or binoculars
Instructions:
- Print or pull up a star map for your location and the current date. Review it together before going outside — identify two or three constellations you want to find.
- Head outside at least 30 minutes after full dark. Give your eyes time to adjust. Avoid looking at your phone screen or any bright lights.
- Use the red flashlight to read the map without losing your night vision. Start by finding a bright, easy landmark — the Big Dipper or the North Star are good starting points.
- Work through your list of constellations one at a time. Older members can look up the mythology or science behind each one and share it with the group.
- Record what you found, what the sky conditions were like, and any questions that came up. Members working on the Star Gazing Badge can use this as one of their observation sessions.
This works for all ages and costs almost nothing. On a clear August night, the Milky Way may also be visible depending on your location and light pollution levels.
Seasonal Activities for August
August is one of the best months for outdoor learning before fall routines kick back in.
- Visit a local farmers market and work toward the new Farmers Market Badge.
- Spend an evening stargazing and try to identify at least five constellations.
- Set up a hammock and spend an afternoon reading, journaling, or simply being outside.
- Harvest or purchase late-summer produce and try preserving something — jam, pickles, or dried herbs.
- Take a final summer hike and work toward the Hiking Badge or Outdoor Exploration Badge.
- Start planning your fall troop or homeschool schedule and set badge goals for the year ahead.
August goes fast. Use the last few weeks of summer before the season shifts.
Leadership Position Spotlight: Care Coordinator
The Care Coordinator is responsible for keeping cards on hand for birthdays, illnesses, and other special needs and making sure those cards actually reach the people they are meant for. If the group sends care packages to our service members, the Care Coordinator is also responsible for packing and shipping them. (Shipping costs should come out of the troop budget.)
This position builds compassion, attentiveness and follow-through in a way that few other roles do. It requires a member to pay attention to the people around them, take initiative without being asked, and follow through consistently over the length of her term. Those habits — noticing needs and acting on them — are foundational to good character and good leadership.
Higher Award Spotlight: Make a Difference Award
The Make a Difference Award is earned by planning and leading a community service project from start to finish. This is not a passive award — the member has to identify a need, develop a plan, organize the work and enough volunteers to see it through. It is one of the more demanding awards in the program and one of the most meaningful.
It is also a prerequisite for several of the higher awards, including the Gem Award and the Elizabeth Vicory Community Leadership Award, so members who have their sights set on those should plan for it well in advance. August is a good time to start thinking about a fall project while the school year schedule is still being mapped out.
Community Service: School Supply Drive
August is one of the best months to organize a school supply drive. Many families are shopping for back-to-school supplies already, and adding a few extra items for donation is easy to work into that trip.
Partner with a local school, shelter, food pantry, or community organization to find out what is most needed. Common requests include pencils, composition notebooks, folders, crayons, and backpacks. Set a collection deadline and a drop-off point, and let members take responsibility for promoting the drive and sorting donations.
This project works well as a group effort with older members taking the lead on logistics. It connects naturally to the Volunteer Badge and the Charity Badge, and it counts toward Servant’s Heart hours. Members who organize and lead the drive rather than just participate may be able to count it toward their Make a Difference Award requirements.
Resource Spotlight: Parent and Leader Handbooks
If you are new to the program or have never read through the Handbooks, August is a good time to do it before the fall season begins. The handbooks cover how the badge program works, how to run a troop or club meeting, how awards are earned, and how to use the leadership position system.
Experienced leaders sometimes find it useful to revisit as well — especially the sections on leadership positions and higher award requirements, which have been updated over the years. Find them on the Resources page on the Curiosity Untamed website.
- Curiosity Untamed Parent Handbook
- Frontier Girls Parent Handbook
- Frontier Girls Leader Handbook
- Quest Clubs Parent Handbook
- Quest Club Leader Handbook
Tips and Tricks for Leaders
If you are starting a new program year in September, spend a few minutes at your first meeting letting members choose one badge they are personally excited to work on in the coming months. Write them down. When motivation dips mid-year, you have a list to fall back on — and kids are far more engaged with badge work they chose themselves than work that was assigned to them.
Community Service Idea
Summer Care Kits
Put together small care kits for people who spend long hours outdoors—delivery drivers, landscapers, or community workers. Include items like water bottles, snacks, sunscreen, and handwritten notes.
This is a practical way to serve others and a great way to add hours for a Servant’s Heart award or earn badges such as Kindness or Generosity.
Not a Member Yet?
Curiosity Untamed provides thousands of hands-on badges across nine Areas of Discovery. Whether you’re homeschooling, leading a troop, or simply looking for meaningful activities, our program offers structure without limiting curiosity.
Join us and start building skills that last.
