In the midst of a busy summer, I was asked to be the Primary President in my Ward (that's the person who heads up the children's organization in a local congregation in the LDS church), and among many other responsibilities that came with the job description was oversight of our Cub Scout program.
I had a complete lack of knowledge regarding anything involving Scouting, and I'm going to be completely honest here: the last thing I ever wanted to be was a Cub Scout leader of any kind. (I'm hanging my head in shame as I type that last sentence.)
So. It was my job to make sure our Cub Scout program functioned properly. Hmmm. Maybe it would run itself? I decided to focus on other things I was more familiar with, like planning our Sunday meeting agenda and attempting to fill teaching positions. A few days into the job, our Cubmaster casually mentioned that she had been promised she would soon be replaced...nine months earlier. I didn't even know what a Cubmaster did.
Two or three weeks later, I was approached by our Stake Primary President. She told me that she was going to attend a Wood Badge Course in just a few weeks, and that she was inviting someone from each of the eight Wards in our Stake to attend with her. I was supposed to find someone to go. Who could I send? The outgoing Cubmaster? Nope. Someone else? Nope.
"They say it is really good leadership training," she said. Hmmm, I could probably use some leadership training right about now. I guess it would be me.
As I anticipated going, it was not going to be convenient or easy. My calendar was seriously packed. We had camping and family reunions coming up and then I'd be going straight into this six-day training spread over two weekends. I needed to find someone to watch my children (ages 8, 6, 4). The second weekend of the course coincided with the beginning of school. Would I be a bad mom if I was not there to watch my First Grader get on the bus for his second full day of school? I needed to find a BSA leader uniform. Things were crazy busy at work. Why was I doing this again?!?
The Wood Badge course started bright and early on a Thursday morning. We made the 45 minute trip to Krupp Scout Hollow and then I crossed a bridge and began an experience that changed everything.
I was put in a team of five people and we experienced a fast-paced day of presentations and activities in both the team (patrol) setting and in the full group (troop) setting. We learned about vision, mission, goals, listening to learn. I knew some of these concepts, and was glad for the reminder. We enjoyed a fun Cubanapolis race and a tasty Blue & Gold Banquet for lunch. I was actually enjoying this. The staff was enthusiastic, fun, informative and clearly very well-prepared; the 40 other participants were just plain wonderful people from all walks of life. Six days quickly flew by in this manner, with many a-ha moments and a feeling of camaraderie I had rarely experienced before. I learned so much, my head sometimes felt like it might explode!
A friend from long ago, who now lives on another side of the USA, recently posted on Facebook: "Wood Badge changed my vision of Scouting." I can't think of a better way to describe what happened for me during those six days. I left with the understanding that Scouting is an inspired program that has the power to truly build a better world, one young person at a time.
I also came away understanding that my role as Primary President was to support, encourage, and help the leaders in my Unit do their jobs. I went home and learned about the importance of the Pack Committee and the roles of the individual leaders who comprise it. I now understood how very vital every effort they made on behalf of the boys they served really was. Cub Scouts isn't an afterthought, or a burden. It's one of the best jobs in the Primary organization! I had a lot to learn, and it took time and effort, but it was very rewarding to me to see how these amazing women worked together to serve our active group of boys. They are my heroes.
I can honestly say that the things I learned on that Wood Badge course seven years ago have impacted my life every day since then. I'm so glad I went. I wholeheartedly encourage every Primary President to invest in the opportunity Wood Badge offers: to step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, absorb the leadership concepts and hone the practical skills that will enable them to be more effective in every aspect of their service, and gain a broader understanding of why it's important.
P.S. This video features several of the individuals who were a part of my Wood Badge experience...it demonstrates just how sincerely we all felt about what we learned on the course. :)
P.S. This video features several of the individuals who were a part of my Wood Badge experience...it demonstrates just how sincerely we all felt about what we learned on the course. :)
