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Where did you have your beading ceremony


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I just finished my ticket, and my last step is to find a good event or location at which to have my beading. I'm not sure what to do. As a Cubmaster, I'm not so anxious to have a ceremony at the pack meeting. The training benefits the cub scouts, and that's why I took the course, but I'm already far more trained than the other leaders and I'm not so excited about taking up pack meeting time.

 

Our district already had their annual awards ceremony. Our roundtable gets only a few leaders each month, so I'm not really sure what do to.

 

So, especially for those of you who are either Cubmasters or not unit leaders, where did you hold your beading?

 

-Melgamatic (used to be a Beaver)

 

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I earned my beads as a CM, and had the beading ceremony at the end of one of our Pack meetings. It took about 10 minutes. The CD did a good job of presenting the ceremony in a manner the boys would enjoy and understand. Look at it this way - this ceremony might inspire some of the other leaders to seek out more training, and maybe even attend WB.

 

After the beading ceremony, one of the dads told me his son, a Wolf at the time, said he was going to get his WB beads someday. That boy is now a Webelos II - he visited our Troop and is going to join us when he crosses over. Needless to say, we are very pleased to be getting this young man, who is very excited about Scouting.

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It will happen for me at the next Troop CoH, next week. I received notice of my ticket passing back in November. I figured the example of an adult getting an award for something earned might be a good thing for the Scouts to see and the other adults to think about. The Beading, as I've seen with my other Patrol members, is a good Scout history and tradition lesson. Our WB SM is an excellent story teller.

 

Enjoy your day, and let your Cubs and Pack scouters enjoy it with you.

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I was a cub leader when I got my beads. I completely understand what you mean about not wanting to do it in the pack. It might have meant something to some of the other pack adults, but not much to the boys. And I felt pack meetings should be focused on the boys, not us adults. I had my beading at a district pot luck dinner at the local scout camp, along with two other WB class members. Although it was a RT and ours (like yours) are not always well attended, this one tends to be the exception, and more so when the word went out to our three WB patrols and the local Wood Badger Association that we hoped they'd be there. They were, and it was nice.

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I've seen beadings done at a variety of locations. A lot of this is due to the wishers of the recipient.

 

What's I've seen:

 

* Roundtable (did mine there. But most RT are well attendend)

* at large scouting events (Camporees, Scout Shows). Usually off to the side.

* at WB gatherings (we just had our annual WB breakfast, proceeds go to the WB Scholarship. We had a beading afterwards for several people)

* Pack Meetings/Banquets, Troop COH

 

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I was a CM when I started and a new ASM when I finished.

 

2 of my tickets were CS-related, 1 was CS-Council-Training related, 1 was Troop related and of course the "360" review.

 

I got my beads on the last day of my son's 1st Boy Scout Summer Camp.

 

I'm on staff this year (4 years later). Where ever you decide to get them, it's an opportunity to advertise the next course. Take it where it has not been before.

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Last week we had someone receive theirs at our district banquet. One of our ASM is getting his at the Blue and Gold for the pack he was with when he started the course. His ticket was split between pack and troop. My best friend is getting hers at campfire during Outdoor Leader training in the next month. So pick what fits for you.

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I had mine at RT, but RT was also a major ticket item of mine.

 

I'd talk to your CD before you have the beading at a Pack meeting ... if he's able to make it about the kids, and you being their servant leader, and giving them some time to have some fun with it, well, go for it.

 

There's always the option of doing it at a Committee meeting or the annual Pack planning session (ours was a dinner/raingutter reggata/pool party).

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More than a decade ago (although it seems like last week) I saw a bead presentation at the outdoor portion of what was then called Boy Scout Adult Leader Training. At the Saturday night campfire a Scouter who had completed his ticket was beaded. Most of the staff was there as well as his course mates. I have since been to a lot of beadings but that one conducted by the campfire still stands out for me.

 

Congratulations on completing your ticket. When you receive your beads, wear them well.

 

Wally Hymel

Course Director

SR-957 March 2009

Southeast Louisiana Council

 

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Having served on WB staff as a Troop Guide, I will tell you what we and the Course Director tell the participants. Tell us where and when and we will be there. I've seen them at Pack Meetings, COH's, Roundtables, summer camp campfire programs, Camporees, IOLS courses, etc. I've seen them take less than 5 minutes and I've seen them last 30 minutes. Mine was done during the teaching session on campfires at an IOLS course. One of the reasons that WB folks like to do it at places like this is because it promotes WB to a target audience. Mine was pretty cool. I was beaded along with 5 or 6 other people. It was in the fall when the air was crisp and the leaves were off the trees. The IOLS staff led the participants and us guests on a short night hike into a clearing in the woods. In the clearing were 3 fires burning. The visual image of the fire light on the bare tree limbs in the dark was breathtaking. The WB folks who "officiated" the ceremony were stationed at different points in the bush just outside of the fire light were they recited their portion of the ceremony. Not because it was my beading, but it was the coolest and most impressive beading ceremony I've seen so far.

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I did my WB as a Cubmaster, and all my ticket items were for the pack. The pack committee liked the idea of awarding the beads during a pack meeting, but we've been having a devil of a time making it happen. No one from the course could make it in October. November, we were holding our meeting off-site at a local food pantry. We were all set for December, but we got hit with that big ice storm and everyone cancelled. January, we were off-site again at the town library. The brings us to Feb and the Blue & Gold. I didn't really want to do it then (I wanted it to be about the awards for the boys, not me), but it looks like that is when it will be. At this point, I'm just kind of anxious to get it done with, as my ticket has been complete for almost 6 months now!

 

a good ol' Owl

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I think you should definitely receive them at a pack meeting. I think it's good for the Scouts to see that the leaders are "advancing" too. You will be setting a good example for both the Scouts and other leaders. And for many people, it will be their first exposure to WB. There's a lot of tradition in the beading ceremony. If your Scoutmaster does it right, it will be an interesting and important part of the pack meeting.

 

Up until about two years ago, beads were presented at the time and place of the recipient's choosing. I chased all over the council presenting beads to my Owlets. Just part of the commitment of being a Good Ol' Staffer.

 

Unfortunately, the past two courses have chosen to present beads only at Roundtables. I think it stinks. For one you loose the above opportunities. Secondly, it makes for a long RT and most of the folks have seen many, many beading ceremonies.

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