Let's Get Back to It

It's been awhile since I've published anything on this blog. But I think taking the time to reflect and put my thoughts in writing is a good exercise. So in making an early (or late) New Year's resolution, I commit myself anew!

Updates on Scouting activities:

Pack Activities
Our Pack has not had a Pack Committee since well before I joined. Luckily, we have had committed volunteers who have served in the roles as needed. But having an established and functional Pack Committee is vital to a healthy Pack. All the training I have attended has taught this. At our first Pack meeting of the year in September, I was able to strongarm....uh I mean ask for help to get a group up and running. Now the real work begins. We need a Chair and to figure out what they are supposed to be doing.

We conduct our annual Scouting for Food service project this month. I'm hopeful that this year will be as positive an experience as last year!

Also this month is TURKEY BOWLING!! at the Pack meeting. This awesomely fun activity which is exactly what it sounds like (except that we use game hens instead of turkey) is enjoyed by kids and parents alike. What I enjoy most is watching the parents who I can tell are dying to give the bird a toss but don't want to look silly by asking if they can have a go! Sometimes doing something just for the sheer fun of it is okay.

Roundtable
Last month was my first experience with the new format for our District. The Cub Scout breakout session came at the end instead of at the beginning of the evening. I learned a few things and what we've done in the past has to change to work in the new format. As I've learned from Wood Badge training - embrace change!

Wood Badge
I am closing out the NE-VI-70/NCAC 82-95 course and will not be on staff of the spring 2010 course. This has been a really hard adjustment for me, but a necessary one. I need a break to get re-energized. But I'll certainly miss it!!

Trainer's EDGE
The next course is on track - we have a location and I'm beginning to put together the staff. Trainer's EDGE continues to change with the expectation that the participants will also be changing. Youth leaders on NYLT staff are expected to take the course as well as Wood Badge staff. Again, I'm ebracing change.

So that's enough for this post. More to come!

Latest Scouting News

The last couple of weeks have been scout heavy.

Pack 740
As a Cubmaster (I like any title that has "master" in it is enjoyable) we had our Blue and Gold banquet last Sunday. It was pretty cool that our celebration was on the actual 99th anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. Our theme was "Scouting Around the World." What I took away from that experience is that across the globe the scouting movement has very similar virtues. I find that cool. What my Cub Scouts are learning and doing here in College Park, Maryland is very similar to what Cub Scouts (or whatever they're called) in India are also learning and doing. Values are values. Doing your best... doing your duty to God and country... helping other people... these aren't limited to living in the United States.

This week we had a Pinewood Derby car building workshop. Pinewood Derby is a big deal in Cub Scouting. My vision for ours has been to have the boys race more and care less about whether they are winning or not. We've actually accomplished the first part. I'm coming to the realization that I'll probably never achieve the second part... But I keep hoping.

This week we have a Pack meeting. We're having two speakers come. Friends of Scouting - which is essential fundraising for the council. And a Day Camp/Cub World presenter. I would love to see our Pack get a group for Day Camp and Cub World.

Wood Badge Update
I'm on Staff for the NCAC Spring Wood Badge course. This will be my third time on staff. Every time I learn something new. About myself. About leadership. About scouting. About working with other dedicated volunteers who are willing to pay $80 to be a volunteer! The team always goes through the proper stages of team development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing. I think we're finishing up our Forming stage and entering our Storming stage. This is acutally a really useful time and is only a hinderance if the team doesn't move out of it to Norming. I've not been in a team yet that hasn't been able to move past it. I really like the people I meet on Wood Badge. I have met so many incredible people that have become "friends for life." I feel so blessed to be part of this program.

Three of the four patrol members I mentored on my very first staffing experience have completed their ticket and earned their Wood Badge beads. The fourth one is extremely close and will certainly finish before the deadline comes. I'm really proud of their accomplishments and feel sort of mother henish that although I really haven't done much to contribute to their success. Their achievement is my achievement just as their failure would have been my failure. One of these participants will receive his Wood Badge neckerchief and beads next weekend. I will be there.

University of Scouting
Next weekend is the Council University of Scouting. I will be earning my Ph.D. in Cub Scouting. This embarrasses me a little at how silly this sounds, but I am glad of the accomplishment. I have to teach a course and I am procrastinating in getting the PowerPoint done. So part of me feels like I don't deserve it because I should have finished the presentation by now and just be practicing it and refining it, instead of preparing it. I guess it's good that I still have room to grow. That means I'm not dead yet.

Trainer Development Conference
Last summer I became the Council TDC coordinator. I am now responsible for putting on two training courses a year to ensure that trainers are trained all over the council. The team that put on this course was an outstanding group of leaders. They all have so much experience and expertise. I felt like I had no business being their director. But there I was.

This is the last time the course syllabus will be conducted in the NCAC. We are moving to a new syllabus - The Trainer's EDGE. I need to learn this syllabus backwards and forward and put together a new team (which will look remarkably like the old team probably) and a new course. Yikes! I have until August.

It still amazes me at how much Scouting has come to mean to me.