US Heritage Award

[scrufmonst]

I have just a little rant!!!!

I have placed an order for the US Heritage Silver Award for my Cubs and have not heard booo from nations trails. I was hoping to present these to the boys during their B & G.

Has anyone else on this forum had any dealings with nations trails and how was that experience?

regards
scott

[PaulSWolf]

I've heard similar problems by others. Their web site was down for a while, too.

I've removed links to them from the US Scouting Service Project and no longer recommend the award to Scouts.

[Nuts4Scouts]

I also caution folks about this site. I have heard numerous similar stories. Some eventually receive their awards after many, many, months of continued attempts at communicating with them, and AFTER their checks have been cashed ASAP!

[scrufmonst]

Guys,

Thanks very much for your input, though very depressing.

This award and the requirements that went along with it were so useful in reinforceing subjects that all new (Tiger) scouts need to have. How easy it is to provide an avenue to put into concrete those values that help build citizenship. And to tell you the truth, I know the boys were going thorugh this in school and this allowed for a reinforcement of that as well.

Well as the story goes, buyer beware!!!!

I feel if the owners of Nations Trails are this ambivilent to their mission and goals of the company than they should just fold up shop and let (if someone wants to) another organization fill the void of this very important mission.

Regards
scott

[Nuts4Scouts]

I would e-mail them and also send a certified letter (so you know it was received). If you get no response you might send them another letter with a copy to the BBB.

BTW, there is no phone associated with their address. It is simply a mail drop at the local UPS Store. Maybe they only empty their box once every other month?

[riverwalk]

In a pinch, create a worthy recognition of their effort so they can still be honored for an accomplishment. If the real deal ever arrives, you can address it then as well.

[pipestone1991]

This sounds like a crooked award to me.

[John F.]

It is not a crooked award. It is the people that is running the company were you send to get this award that are crooked. If you look at the requiremnts and read the Purpose, The United States Heritage Award was designed to give recognition for learning about the heritage of the United States of America, and showing patriotism

[cballman]

John while you are right the award is an awesome award but like you also said the people running it are crooked. well where I come from that is the same as guilt by association. when you are in charge of something and you fail to complete the process then either your product or services are bad. we the customer does not know which one is bad so we the PAYING customer assume that the company and the award is bogus. also if I hear that a person or company is treating their customers like that more than once then do you think that I will give them a chance? NO NO NO That is the way that I feel about a company treating kids.

[Quailman]

They might not be crooked, just incompetent. Still, the customer treatment is the same.

[pipestone1991]

It is not a crooked award. It is the people that is running the company were you send to get this award that are crooked. If you look at the requiremnts and read the Purpose, The United States Heritage Award was designed to give recognition for learning about the heritage of the United States of America, and showing patriotism

That's what I meant.

[Nuts4Scouts]

All of the requirements for the different levels are posted on the site. The only thing you have to pay for are the awards themselves.

Don't purchase the awards from them. Go to one of the many patch companies and purchase your own.

[scrufmonst]

One of the reasons I brought this award to the attention of my Cubs was cause after reading the requirements they fit naturally into what the boys were learning both in school (at that time) and what they learn in Scouts (all the time).
It seems such the great "Patriotic" award.

I agree that it is not the Award that is bad it is the company that provides the award. Customer service is "non-exsistant". And if that is the way they want to run their organization than so be it.... I will be liek several of you all that state with no hesitation...
This company is not one to deal with.....

Now, for the just build it idea....hummmmmmm

MAybe i can print the picture off the web site and get it to the local patch maker and see what he can do.....wouldnt that just chap NationsTrails a*&!!!!!!
NExt i could create a web site and call it say.....NationTrail.... and sell the "new" patch from there..hummm this is starting to sound like a plan......better stop before I get too far ahead ofmyself.

Again, thanks guys for all the comments

Regards
scott

[scouter01]

except for the copyright infringment it sounds good. No wait. it doesn't

[JVCXXVI]

So does anyone have any advice? I sent a check in to them the first part of Janurary. It hasn't been cashed. I've sent 30 emails and never received a response. I've called and it's just a voice recording without the ability to leave a message. Any suggestions would be great. Pack 456 Minnesota

[Nuts4Scouts]

Stop payment on the check and send them one last email stating that you are purchasing recognitions for your boys elsewhere.

There are a lot of patch companies out there that have in stock patches that you can add text to, and can be ordered in small batches. Use one of them.

[scrufmonst]

JVC,

With what you have stated it might be time to start sending those letters to the "local" BBB. You along with me have the same type of situation. And I tell ya it is really frustrating, my boys worked hard for this and to have it dashed from their sight, really puts a hurt on my belief that scouts are trustworthy, honest....etc.

I will do the research for their local BBB and post when i find it or email me and we can take this off line scott.truax at usdotarmydotmil

scott

[JVCXXVI]

Sounds good. Let me know what you find.

[PaulSWolf]

You may also want to contact the Postal Inspectors in the Boston area, to see if they can help.

The information I have on the web site, which, as you say, is dormant,
is as follows:

Registrant:
Nations Trails
197M Boston Post Road W #334
Marlborough, MA 01752
USA

Registrar: DOTREGISTRAR
Domain Name: NATIONSTRAILS.COM
Created on: 11-SEP-01
Expires on: 11-SEP-09
Last Updated on: 06-FEB-08

Administrative, Technical Contact:
Trails, Nations admin@nationstrails.com
197M Boston Post Road W #334
Marlborough, MA 01752
USA
508-229-0308

[scrufmonst]

Miracles of miracles.......

They cashed the check..........

Well now lets see how long it will take to get the product. I think the thing that is bothering me the most is that they have no form of communication back to the customer....yes, i received the check, i will process in "x" days...that type of thing.

One thing is for sure I will be taking all these GREAT comments to heart and figure out what to do (or realisticly...NOT DO) after i receive the product.

JVC, I hope you get your product as well.....

Regards
scott