Wood Badge Bead Presentation Ceremonies

How are your unit, district, council Wood Badge bead presentations traditionally done? In over six years of attending our districts roundtable, I've never seen one presentation done at a roundtable. I have seen one at the unit level and one during a Scout Leader Specific training class (at night around the campfire).

At another district in our council, the presentations are almost universally done at the monthly roundtables. I've heard opinions that the presentation really means more to the adults than the boys (especially for Cubs) because they really don't understand the Wood Badge course itself. I know that the recepient chooses how they would like to receive the beads. I'm just interested in how your area traditionally handles these ceremonies.

At our distict there are two options 1. Your choosing 2. At the next Wood badge's course during one of their campfire's. I hope to be beaded next year.

I used to be an owl

Recently our District Rountable (well Dec 3) had a Wood Badge Ceremony beading 7 individuals from the Wood BAdge class started in Sept 2002. This ol' Bear got his beads.

While the numbers are usually this high, most Beading Ceremonies are done at the Roundtable

It is left up to the individual as to where, when & who will present his/her beads.

Ed Mori

A blessed Christmas to all!

1 Peter 4:10

I realize that Ed. "I know that the recepient chooses how they would like to receive the beads. I'm just interested in how your area traditionally handles these ceremonies." I was polling individuals to get ideas. Heck, I've known some who just stated "mail em to me."

Most here are done after a Camporee or Camporall campfire. Once the scouts are done with the campfire they are invited to leave or stay for the ceremony.

I've seen Wood Badge beads presented at: Roundtable, District Dinner, Unit affairs, handed out in a paper bag, etc.

It all depends on what a person wants.

In one council I served, most beads were presented at the council's annual Wood Badge dinner. Sometimes that was the second time they were presented, but the idea was that presenting them there would encourage folks who had not attended Wood Badge (the target audience of the dinner) to attend. That's where I got my beads. It was cool.

Of course, that was 10 years ago. Thing have probably changed -- or have they Dancin'?"

Dave

Sorry acco! Chill man!

In my district the ceremony is usually done at our annual district dinner.

Ed Mori

A blessed Christmas to all!

1 Peter 4:10

DS is right. My council presents about 95% of all beads at our annual Wood Badge Dinner. If you ask someone involved in the 21st Century Wood Badge Staff, their sylabus says that a Staff member from the course should be present at the ceremony. It does not say they have to be involved, but they do have to be present. It is cool to receive your beads with your patrol. With the way staff and participants go close together in the new course I've enjoyed watching the Beavers I was Troop Guide for get their beads and do other things around the council. Every time I see one, I give them a hug.

Dancin

Foxes covorting with Beavers! Sacre Bleu! What is the world coming to? Everyone knows, da Bears, da best!

Ed, sorry if I came on to strong. Have a great holiday. I wasn't showing much Christmas spriit was I?

In this council the beads are presented by the Course Director or staff member from the course at the time and place of the recipients choosing.

The history of the Wood Badge is given and an explaination is given of the MacLaren tartan on the neckerchief, the Beads, and the Woggle. As these are explained they are placed on the recipient. Handshakes all around, and then we often sing the WB song.

Bob White

We present them at Wood Badge Breakfast normally, but for those that couldn't attend we have had them presented to the neophyte at their place of choosing. Typically the Scoutmaster and the individuals troop guide are present.

This past year we did not have a Wood Badge course, but had a R&R at which time we presented many beads.

acco,

A blessed Christmas to you and yours!

Ed Mori

I have presented them everywhere you can imagine.

Council dinner, district dinner, Council Board meeting, roundtable, Pack meeting, Troop meeting, OA lodge banquet, WB staff development, WB dinner etc. etc.

Probably the most unusual was at 3AM on the front lawn of an organization called the "Committee for the Future" in Washington DC. The recipient was an Air Force officer leaving early the next morning for an assignment in Europe.

As DSteele said, they can be presented more than once.

And as others have said, it is up to the recipient, but as with most things involving adults in Scouting, it should be that which most benefits the Scouts. So if it means something for a Troop, Pack or Crew to have their leader receive WB Beads at a Court of Honor, it's a great place. On the other hand, if it motivates other leaders to take WB to present them at roundtable, it's a great place. Or both.

I do have a little reluctance to suggest that they be presented only at a WB Dinner. The reason is that it doesn't do anything there for boys and doesn't do anything to encourage other leaders to go since only Wood Badgers are present. It only makes the recipient and the other Wood Badgers feel good and, personally, I have a problem with Scouting activities which are only feel good for adults with no other purpose.

While I tend to agree with most of the stuff that NeilLup posts I don't on this one.

Wood Badge is an adult training done with and only for adults. While I'm fine with presenting anytime and anywhere I don't agree that youth members gain very much from a Wood Badge ceremony.

Many of the ceremonies that occur in our district are at a round table. We have had a few presented at the troop site at summer camp.

When I completed the old Cub Wood Badge which at that time was a regional course, all the participants from Westmoreland Fayette Council - All three of us!! Invited all the staff and all the participants to a Wood Badge Court of Honor at our Council site. We started with a lunch and then went to the camp fire circle where the presentation took place with a lot of ceremony. Those who wanted spent the night as they had come a fair distance. It was a super weekend.

My first Boy Scout Wood Badge was presented at Roland House in London, the house was left to the English Boy Scouts by Lord Roland and in my day was used as a training center and a hostel for young men who were working with Scouts from the East End of London, a fairly run down area of London.Sad to say due to lack of funds the house closed in 1982.

Eamonn