Wood Badge update (LONG!!!)
Jim Peterson (jpeterson@TZNET.COM)
Mon, 30 Jun 1997 08:33:37 -0500
Well folks, it has now been 2 weeks since I returned home from Wood Badge
Course C-8L-97 at Akela's World Camp outside Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Before
I left for the course, three weeks ago, I promised to post a report for the
many of you who were kind enough to comfort my angst and give me advice, so
here goes ...
My main concern going into the course was what to bring and whether or
not I would be able to make more than one trip to my vehicle to retrieve
gear (I had been warned by a normally reliable source that once the course
started, the parking lot would be off limits). This concern proved to be
unfounded, as our vehicles were accesible to us at all times and as it
turned out, our patrol site was fairly close to the parking lot. Now I wish
I would have brought more stuff than I did (power tools, chain saws, etc ;{)
Shortly after the course began, we were divided into our patrols. Since
there were six patrols and seven people from our District, we knew that
there would be two of us in one of the patrols. Turned out to be me and an
Asst. Scoutmaster from Marshfield in the Eagle Patrol. Jerry and I didn't
know each other very well before June 7. Now we e-mail back and forth almost
daily (I'm working on getting him onto the list). The Eagles were also one
of two Patrols with seven members, the other four patrols having six. Our
patrol meshed together from the start and by the end of day 2 we were
hitting on all cylinders, with only a couple of lapses in the "Who's in
charge?" department during the course of the week. One of the first things
that stood out about us, was our love of music. Only one member of the
"Singing Eagles" had any difficulty carrying a tune, but he compensated for
it by singing extra loud;{) The week seemed like one big medley of the best
of the 60's, 70's and 80's, with a heavy dose of "Back to Gilwell" and our
own Eagle Patrol Marching Song. Heck, we even took to singing grace before
each meal.
We were the first patrol to earn the "Gilwell Pennant" and held onto it
for five of the six days it was available - our only lapse was one day when
we got marked down a point for not having our meals ready on time (Chicken
didn't get cooked all the way through, but once it was done it was
delicious). We missed our goal for that day by just that one point.
Everything was going great, but by Wednesday the lack of sleep was
starting to get to some of us and some nerves were begining to rub raw.
Thursday morning, as we were beginning to leave the "Eagle's Nest" for our
duties of performing the day's flag raising, our Coach/Counselor snuck into
our Patrol Site through the "back door". He called Denise, the only female
in the patrol, aside. We couldn't hear what was being said, but by the
hugging and crying, we could tell it wasn't good news. We were later
informed that Denise's father had suffered a heart attack and was being
rushed to the hospital. About an hour later, the assembled Troop was
informed that Denise's father had passed away. One of the staffers, a close
friend of Denise's family and the one who had taken Denise to the hospital
and stayed with her, later told me that when they had arrived at the
hospital, they were met by Denise's mother, who informed them that her
father was dead on arrival at the hospital. The next question out of her
mouth was "How is this going to effect Denise's Wood Badge?". Now is that a
Scouting Family, or what?
This tragedy allowed the rest of us to refocus and dedicate the rest of
our week to Denise and her family. We were able to put aside our petty
differences and continued to work together harmoniously. We didn't expect to
see Denise for the rest of the course, but she showed up at our overnight
campsite that evening for a group hug and a few minutes with her "Boys" as
she had come to calling us. She also made it back for Friday evening's
"feast" and closing ceremony. She is being allowed to finish the course
under the auspices of some local staffers and will be allowed to write and
work her ticket. What a beading ceremony that is going to be!
After breaking camp Saturday morning and driving as much as 4 hours home
(only 2 hours for me), all six of us turned around on Sunday and returned to
Rhinelander for the visitation for Denise's father. It was a great boost for
Denise to see all six of her "boys" march into the funeral home, in uniform.
She must have introduced us to her whole family. Afterward, the six of us
went out to dinner ... the first time we could sit down and share a meal
without having to cook it first and wash the dishes after. Unfortunately,
the restaurant was fresh-out of bug juice, so we had to wash down our meals
with a couple mugs of beer :{) The tragic loss of Wes Gleason, a long time
Scouter, retired police officer and fire fighter, had a great strengthening
effect on our patrol.
I know this is getting long (I'm starting to feel like Mike W. Honey,
more coffee!) but before I left for Wood Badge, I asked some of you to share
your tickets with me, to give me ideas and examples, so I feel that it is
only right that I share my ticket with all of you.
Service to Others
1) Determine the needs in the community and guide the troop PLC in
selecting, planning and carrying out two service projects for the community
and/or charter partner.
2) Develop and distribute an e-mail address book for my district,
identifying a primary contact for each unit (as much as possible)
3) Promote and encourage participation by the Troop in the 1998 Samoset
Council Spring Work Trek.
Goals to Strengthen my Troop
1) Plan and facilitate a troop Junior Leader Training session within the
next six months.
2) Working with the Troop Scribe, SPL, Scoutmaster and Committee Chair,
develop, publish and distribute a Troop newsletter at least six times over
the next year.
3) Develop a Troop "Merit Badge of the Month" program to run at least six
months.
Personal Goals
1) Complete a CPR course and become certified
2) Learn to create a Web page and publish a personal page and a Troop page.
3) Through diet and exercise, loose 20 pounds. (This item may be a little
weak as I could stand to loose more like 60 pounds, but I didn't want to set
my goal so high that I couldn't reach it in two years. Once I meet this
goal, I will strive to continue loosing weight until I feel that I am in
good enough shape to take a crew on a Philmont or Boudary Waters Trek. I've
already dropped 7 pounds.)
Thank you all for all your help and encouragment in getting me to Wood
Badge. Now I'm going to work my ticket, if I can.
YiS,
________________________________________________________________________________
Jim Peterson
Advancement Chair, Boy Scout Troop 379, Blenker, Wisconsin
Cubmaster, Pack 379, Auburndale, Wisconsin
jpeterson@tznet.com
I used to be an Eagle ... working my ticket C-8L-97
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