Den5Pack457
11-11-2007, 11:50 AM
When did I first learn about Wood Badge? 1994, when my Explorer Post showed up at Camp Hohn for Poject C.O.P.E. I had just transitioned from Post Executive Officer to Post Associate Advisor.
When we got there from Sedalia, the Facilitator told us to find a camping area, set up camp, and report back in an hour. So, we spotted a patrol area real close to the lodge. We pulled in when a Scout Master wearing a Baden-Powell hat and shorts with knee high scout socks was scampering up to us.
He litterally started throwing a tantrum. "You can't camp here! You'll ruin Wood Badge!!!" He must have frantically repeated that atleast 5 times. After calming him down, we were able to discern that they were already using the camp site for a Wood Badge Course, they just didn't have their tents set up, yet. So, we went down range a little and found a wonderful site with a view of the Lake of the Ozarks.
For the rest of our weekend, we would see them out there doing their wood Badge thing. Yes, it was intruiging, but after that little episode with the Scout Master, we were all put off. We told our facilitator about the encounter, in which he replied: "It's a Boy Scout Thing."
Fast Forward 13 years. Between then and now, I had come to learn more about the course after talking with other scout leaders. So, after getting the recruiting pitches at New Leader Essentials and several Round Tables, I decided to sign up after I raised the course fees.
The course exeeded all of my expectations. To put a tag line to it: "Wood Badge is like Professional Military Education (Or Corporate Leadership Training); with a scout twist. "
BSA defines Wood Badge as: "Scouting's premier training course. Baden-Powell designed it so that Scouters could learn, in as practical a way possible, the skills and methods of Scouting. It is first and foremost, learning by doing. The members of the course are formed into patrols and these into a troop. The entire troop lives in the out-of-doors for a week, camping, cooking their own meals, and practicing Scout skills."
I walked away with a better understanding of Scouting, tools to enhance my program, and 60+ new friends, to include the 5 others in my Patrol ~ The Antelope Patrol.
If you are serious about scouting, you should attend. Don't do it because you think the Tartan and Woggle look cool. Attend to further garner your skills and to network methods, tools, and contacts within your council.
Plenty of inormation, here:
http://www.woodbadge.org/index.htm
Good Luck!
When we got there from Sedalia, the Facilitator told us to find a camping area, set up camp, and report back in an hour. So, we spotted a patrol area real close to the lodge. We pulled in when a Scout Master wearing a Baden-Powell hat and shorts with knee high scout socks was scampering up to us.
He litterally started throwing a tantrum. "You can't camp here! You'll ruin Wood Badge!!!" He must have frantically repeated that atleast 5 times. After calming him down, we were able to discern that they were already using the camp site for a Wood Badge Course, they just didn't have their tents set up, yet. So, we went down range a little and found a wonderful site with a view of the Lake of the Ozarks.
For the rest of our weekend, we would see them out there doing their wood Badge thing. Yes, it was intruiging, but after that little episode with the Scout Master, we were all put off. We told our facilitator about the encounter, in which he replied: "It's a Boy Scout Thing."
Fast Forward 13 years. Between then and now, I had come to learn more about the course after talking with other scout leaders. So, after getting the recruiting pitches at New Leader Essentials and several Round Tables, I decided to sign up after I raised the course fees.
The course exeeded all of my expectations. To put a tag line to it: "Wood Badge is like Professional Military Education (Or Corporate Leadership Training); with a scout twist. "
BSA defines Wood Badge as: "Scouting's premier training course. Baden-Powell designed it so that Scouters could learn, in as practical a way possible, the skills and methods of Scouting. It is first and foremost, learning by doing. The members of the course are formed into patrols and these into a troop. The entire troop lives in the out-of-doors for a week, camping, cooking their own meals, and practicing Scout skills."
I walked away with a better understanding of Scouting, tools to enhance my program, and 60+ new friends, to include the 5 others in my Patrol ~ The Antelope Patrol.
If you are serious about scouting, you should attend. Don't do it because you think the Tartan and Woggle look cool. Attend to further garner your skills and to network methods, tools, and contacts within your council.
Plenty of inormation, here:
http://www.woodbadge.org/index.htm
Good Luck!