Wood Badge Update 5/31/09

I'm nearly done working my ticket, and now I've been thrown a curve ball.

My tickets were mostly built around my role as Scoutmaster (though one of them had to do with my OA involvement). In January, I took over as the OA Chapter Advisor for the Lakota Chapter. Fortunately that didn't require any changes to the OA related ticket.

Last month, I was asked to take on a new role in scouting, Unit Commissioner. I handed over my scoutmaster reins to my Assistant Scoutmaster and started trying to meet the six units I'm now working with.

This means I'll have to change my ticket about doing team/unit building activities on camp-outs with my troop. I was two camp-outs away from fulfilling that requirement. I can see two options for how to move forward from here:

1. I can broaden the ticket to doing team building activities with the units I work with. This might be imposing myself too heavily though, and it is certainly beyond my control.


2. I could also change the focus and apply it to the OA chapter. I'm really leaning toward this one, especially since our chapter is getting close to the critical mass that it needs to really start to roll.

Even though I'm almost done with the work I signed up for, I see so many ways to stay involved with the themes that I started laying out at my Wood Badge course. I'm really glad that I made the investment to go. Now I just need to help the other leaders that I'll be working with to catch the vision and go.

If you're a scout leader and haven't been through the full BSA training program, do it. You'll be glad you did, and your scouts will be too.

First Post of 2009: a look back and a look ahead

Okay, time for some catch-up. First off, I've changed responsibilities in my scout district. Gone is my angsting over how to present the best ever Boy Scout Roundtable each month. Now I get to work with the great young men in our OA chapter as the new Chapter Advisor. One of the things we've been working on is a blog to detail all of our activities and encourage our arrowmen to get out and get more active.

I'm still serving as the Scoutmaster for Troop 37. My friend and former Assistant Scoutmaster, Kevin Cole, has moved out of the area so I'm working with a new ASM and trying to build the kind of relationship there that Kevin and I enjoyed — so far, so good. Our Ward's Varsity Team isn't doing as well, but they're supposed to get a new Coach this week and I'm hoping that will help them turn the corner.

Wood Badge tickets are going well, though I need to check in on the rest of the Bob Whites from my course. Here's a quick update on each ticket:

• Recruit Arrowmen for our chapter at BYU — I've been able to get small signs up in various areas, and have found a couple of students so far.


• Support and Encourage Timberline (NYLT) attendance from my troop — I think I have two of my scouts (and their families) interested in going next year. I've also got three arrowmen from my chapter who are interested in serving on staff.


• Become LNT certified — having completed my LNT Trainer course, I'm now focusing on sharing the principles of Leave No Trace whenever and wherever I can.


• Run unity building activities at 75% of my unit's camping trips from 9/08 to 8/09. So far I'm 3 of 4, and I've got activities planned for both January's and February's trips.


• Complete the requirements for the Physical Fitness MB — I'm midway through this, but I need to get back on track.

Klondike is coming, with a snowshoeing trek along the Great Wester Trail and more fun after that. At the Chapter level, I'm trying to get ready for lots of unit elections, a call out ceremony, and a Fellowship. It's going to be a busy time.