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Needs
1) Education of youth in woodworking, do-it-yourself building skills: Shop classes are no longer a part of curriculum in Orange County schools so adolescents are not learning the technical skills needed to facilitate home projects or to facilitate acquiring related job opportunities when they get older (i.e., long-term community development implications). Adolescents will also gain pride in having made something by hand that has value for others in their communities. The project will create opportunities for multiple Eagle Scout projects, and partial completion of Boy Scout and Girl Scout woodworking and service badges (i.e., "Using a saw, plane, hammer, brace, and bit, make something useful of wood." and "Choose a charitable organization outside of Scouting that interests you and brings people in your community together to work for the good of your community."
2) Family Cohesion: Beyond the general education components above, Rotary would be supporting family game nights, which tacitly teach valuable lessons to children in terms of competition and fairness/equity, while enabling the communication between family members that is the basis for esteem and strong family bonds.
3) Rotary Brand Awareness: Our intent is to mark the game board pieces, box, and/or instructions with Rotary emblems (most likely via craft-style stamps) such that when family bonding is taking place and fairness/equity principles are being learned, that Rotary is recognized as the facilitator each time the game is played.
The Project
The Game: Jokers and Pegs
Jokers and Pegs is a game assembled from four or more 'game board' pieces and twenty 'pegs' (usually golf tees or similar; 5 per player). Making the game boards is a fairly simple process that involves cutting templated wood pieces, applying holes with a drill press, and staining. Basic boxes to hold the games, playing cards, a printed rules pamphlet, and 'object of Rotary' card inserts provide in-home branding opportunities for the Irvine Rotary Club and Rotary International, a major focus for AY2013-2014. The project would provide support to scout troops and the Rotary Club of Irvine in making and furnishing Marine families with these games as Christmas gifts (budget funds up to 835 games).
Facilitation
The build-out of games will involve the Boy Scouts (e.g., Eagle Projects, Woodworking merit badges) and 'staining parties' as social events for interested Rotarians. To stretch projects funds, Rotarians or Eagle Scout candidates will reach out to casinos, golf courses, and golf manufacturers for used playing cards and pegs/golf tees. Most casinos donate their used playing card decks (used only once by law) to non-profits, so long as someone comes to the casino to pick up donations. Similarly, materials donations or other support will be sought from lumberyards and home improvement stores.
An Entrepreneurial Bonus
In addition, handmade Jokers and Pegs games sell for $59-75 on Etsy.com. Beyond the woodworking skills and equity lessons, scouts could also gain hands on experience with entrepreneurship by promoting the games for sale on ETSY and similar websites. This opens an opportunity for this project to be self-sustaining and to fund other scout troop and club projects in future years. For example, troops could follow the Tom's Shoes buy-one, give-one model to support continuous game building activities.
Addendum to Project Description (added after the project was signed)
Project Start Date: 10/1/2013
Project End Date: 12/18/2013
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