Woodbadge Finale (Or Is It?)

After taking the Course for the Woodbadge in 2020, I have finally completed my ticket and was awarded my beads. My son's pack hosted the special ceremony in May 2022. We put on our usual Scouting outfits (Scoutfits?) and headed off to the meeting.

My son and I, ready to go

The church that sponsors the pack has a large meeting room. The ceremony started there with the blowing of a horn like the one used by Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting Movement.

The ceremony begins

The little table has a lot of symbolic stuff, including a small spade (representing service to others), a birch log with an axe (symbolic of Gilwell Field where Baden-Powell conducted the first adult training for Scout leaders), and a necklace of wooden beads (like the beads I was soon to receive). 

A table full of symbolism

In addition to the beads, I received a new neckerchief. The one I had been wearing since the course has the tartan and the log/axe image. The new one is dove pink on top (for compassion) and red underneath (for warmth (the feeling, not actual heat!)). It has a bit of the tartan on it as well. My wife took a great picture...

A nicely-framed picture

The course leader had my son help out with the change. My son took off my woggle (the knotted cord that holds the ends of the neckerchief together) and held on to my old neckerchief as I received the new neckerchief.

First stage: taking off the old

Now wearing the new

Like many other training courses, a certificate came with completion.

The left-handed shake of Scouting

My den posed for a picture with me!

A happy group!

That completed the coursework and formal part of the program. The point of Woodbadge is to have an on-going effect on me and on those who I work with (adults and children). I've done a bunch of new things and have a lot more enthusiasm and ideas for the program. And I've learned a bunch of other games to play with the kids, games that also teach skills like cooperating or planning ahead. I'll be using the skills I've learned in my future with scouting!