Voice from the Past on Wood Badge

The BSA Lincoln Heritage Council is sponsoring a Wood Badge Course with scheduling and accommodations especially for LDS Scouters. This advanced training focuses on leadership skills rather than Scouting skills. The principles learned can be applied to all aspects of your life: personal; professional; church; and community service. Money to help pay for this course is available through council camperships and funds from the stake. Go to the council web page for more information and an application or contact a member of the Stake Primary presidency for additional details. http://www.lhcbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.asp?ActivityKey=672373 

I am going to depart from the usual format of our weekly posts and share with you a portion of a personal letter I recently found. I wrote this letter to report on my Wood Badge Ticket. A ticket is a series of goals set as part of Wood Badge training. One of my goals was to organize a Scout camp for the 11-year-old Scouts in the Lexington Kentucky Stake.

". . . The biggest challenge has been the stake over-night camp for the 11-year-old Scouts. It was held early in August. All of the hours of planning were worth it. The camp was run by a leadership corps made up of an Eagle and two Star Scouts. One of the younger boys came to camp complaining that he was going to do "Scout stuff". By the next night he wanted to know if they were going to do this when he got into "real" Scouts (patrol of older boys). He was committed to make rank advancements so that he could come back and be on staff. The leadership corps said it was the "funnest" camp they had ever been to. The sad part is that unless these boys' leaders catch the vision of Scouting (through a great Wood Badge experience) it may remain their only experience of what Scouting should be every week. . . . I have reflected many times on the experience of our week at SE456. The experiences and testimonies of others have been a real source of inspiration. The sacrifice has been well-worth it. One Scout came to me following camp. He ignored the calls of his leader and father to bring me a Grape Newton. May each of your lives be blessed with "Grape Newtons" to sweeten the hours of preparation".

As a follow-up note, one of the Scouts attending that camp died several years later when he was hit by a car. His father told us that Scouting had made a huge difference in the last few years of his son's life. He was focused, happy, and felt success as he progressed in Scouting ranks and leadership. His funeral was an Eagle Scout Court of Honor. 

We each have the opportunity to make a difference in a child's life. Wood Badge training gave me insight into the real purpose of the Scouting movement and helped me develop personally as a leader. I have used those skills throughout my life in church and community service. I would encourage you to check your calendar and see if this training could fit into your busy life. I can promise you that the experience will be life changing for both you and those you serve.


Joy Tuckett
Stake Primary President