Monday, March 10, 2008

Gilwell Bound..by way of Camp McLean!


Half-way there!
It is hard to believe that I am soon going to be completing my Wood Badge II training!
This past weekend, Part 1 of 2 3-day weekend training sessions was completed at Camp McLean in Langley, BC by about 65 people involved in Beaver, Cub, Scout, Venture and Rover groups. Not wanting to go into detail (you will have to take the course :-) to learn more ), it was an incredible weekend of learning combined with loads of fun.

Course trainers were excellant, the food was great, the information was outstanding, and all of us future "Gilwellians" are exausted...but amazingly content.
What more can one ask for?
Do you know what Wood Badge Training is?
In a nut shell, Wood Badge is a Scouting Leadership program for adult leaders in the programs of Scout associations around the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills, and by creating a bond and commitment to the Scout movement. Courses generally have a combined classroom and practical outdoors-based phase.



The first Wood Badge training was organized by Francis "Skipper" Gidney and lectured at by Robert Baden-Powell and others at Gilwell Park (United Kingdom) in September 1919. Wood Badge training has since spread across the world with international variations.




On completion of the course, participants are awarded the Wood Badge beads to recognize significant achievement in leadership and direct service to young people. The pair of small wooden beads, one on each end of a leather thong (string), is worn around the neck as part of the Scout uniform. The beads are presented together with a taupe neckerchief bearing a tartan patch of the Maclaren clan, honoring William De Bois Maclaren, who donated the funding to purchase Gilwell Park in 1919. The neckerchief with the braided leather woggle (neckerchief slide) denotes the membership of the 1st Gilwell Scout Group or Gilwell Troop 1. Recipients of the Wood Badge are known as Wood Badgers or Gilwellians.

To learn more about Wood Badge, the significance of the Beads, the necker and the woggle, check out the following links!

Wikipedia
Wood Badge .org
Pinetree Web
Wood Badge Store
Boy Scouts of America
Scouts Canada
Manhin's

I will share more upon my completion of Wood Badge training in April!
YIS...LE

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