"Wish-I-had" this when I took wood badge:

[ctbailey]

Well, thanks everyone for posting. As the OP, I'd like to report that my first weekend of woodbadge training was fantastic!

 

Every post so far have been exactly right on point.

 

Some things that I'd like to add to the list:

1. Don't bring too many clothes. We were in our "Class A" from friday morning to sunday. Our course included a "class B" shirt for use on Sunday. I was, however, happy I brought BOTH my Class A shirts.

2. A good size daypack (big enough for a 3-ring) is key.

3. One of my patrol members had fashioned up a "flash card" flip book with various Scouting oaths, laws, graces, songs, mottos, etc. It was laminated and spiral bound - it was Awesome!

 

More later

 

Craig

[kahits]

Probably the only thing that was missing was the elements to whatever your patrol totem turned out to be. The Fox patrol became the Firefoxes, and these engineer types came up with some great, although not quite scout appropriate,ideas for the 2nd weekend, campfire. Using some kind of alcohol and water mixture, they burned their stuffed animal on a hand held grate that allowed them to flip it over and over again. It was so out there, I still can't believe they did it. Probably not what you want to show to a group of scouts, but even though their TG was not happy about it, I thought it was ingenious. I'm curious what you thought of your closing ceremony. I put this video together, of ours, with all of the props/elements finally being returned with the patrol elements added to each of them. I thought the entire WB experience tested the creativity, in terms of writing, graphic art, and just plain scout spirit of each patrol member to support and build the 6 patrol groups, while observing the staff, as a group, in the days that was Wood Badge. This short video was more on the focus of the staff, as they drew the course to a close, and I found it breath taking. When you realize the group that was this course was never going to come back together again, it gives you that feeling that maybe it should not end, which surprised me, considering how much it demanded of your time and physical/emotional strength.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZeER473Qtk

 

[kahits]

Oh, I forgot to mention... when they burned their fox mascot, it was not damaged. They used water to put it out, but ran out of water so had to kick some dirt on it. It was a little wet from the rinse, but not burned in the slightest... quite impressive I thought.

[shortridge]

kahits - Nice video.

 

Was that an umbrella with a bird's nest on top?

[kahits]

Yes, SR, they called that one the bumpershoot. Each program/service patrol had an object to carry and mark to indicate their patrols possession of it, if just for one day. The next came from our patrol, the Eagles. The story telling that went along with the return of these objects was one of the very funniest parts of the training. As you can see in the expressions in that final video, it was mutually enjoyable between the staff and the participants.

[LindaBob]

I got a few tips ahead of time from another gal who'd gone through the course.

 

1) A seat cushion for those hard benches (a lifesaver!)

 

2) Flip-flops to wear in the shower (great idea!)

 

3) A box of craft items as someone else mentioned with leather and/or vinyl laces, wooden and/or plastic beads, feathers, blank leather discs, glue, a wooden mallet and a hole punch that you drive through the leather with the mallet.

 

Linda

[Vicki]

>a hole punch that you drive through the leather with the mallet. >

 

Linda, that would be an awl: