Last fall I had the privilege of serving on the instructor staff of Wood Badge Course 37-06. You can see from this chorus line that it’s a fun group, though it involves a lot of work and time.
When new boys enter the Scouting program, they bring new parents with them. These new leaders need training to really deliver the promise of Scouting. The Wood Badge course is six days of intensive training in leadership skills. The hours of lecture are broken up by games, songs, service projects, and even a few arts and crafts (like this staff totem, which I helped make). As with boys, character development needs to be concealed in some fun.
The group reunited this weekend to be sure that everyone is progressing well in the leadership projects they must complete in order to earn the right to wear the Wood Badge beads and neckerchief. I took the day off Saturday to attend the reunion, help mentor these new leaders, and renew old friendships.