Reflections on Woodbadge — 1995
Following are some of the impressions our candidates and staff had about our course, WVE2-590-1-95. I was the course director and our course was held at Camp Tracy, located in Millcreek Canyon.
1) From a member of the Buffalo team: “The overwhelming effect that Woodbadge had on my personal life was that of gratitude. I realize that this was not a specific point of leadership brought out in our training. I was told that the staff’s preparation for Woodbadge began almost one year before the course was actually held. I was very impressed with that. The staff’s dedication to make our course the best is very sobering to me. When I think of the countless hours spent by so many people to make our lives so much better, I am inspired. During the course it seemed that we were on an emotional roller coaster. The non-importance of “keeping score” and “competing” became very evident to me, and this had a big effect on me. Also, I noticed that there was a lot of emphasis on making sure that everyone was having a good time. We all had so much fun at Woodbadge that it was difficult for me to concentrate on my work during the interim weeks. I have no doubt in my mind that the Buffalo Post was “meant to be”. The bond that was created there will be one that will remain for the rest of my life. Each person had such an impact on my life. I have a great respect for the Woodbadge staff. Their desire to serve others was so very evident to me. Michael, thanks for sharing your “Buffalo Gal” with us. She was great and I enjoyed her sweet personality. Thanks for the opportunity to share music with others. I had a great time. May buffalo chips always cross your path.”
2) From a staff member:
- Service known by many:
- A participant stepping on live coals and not dropping the hot rocks container
- Our service project cleaning the lakefront
- Flying the flag at half-mast for the Oklahoma City bombing victims
- A participant helping another participant when she had trouble with her bow & drill fire
- Service known by a few:
- “I had been asked to make a coup feather to present to the caretaker for Camp Tracy, to show our appreciation to him for all of his help to our course. He was to come to our flag ceremony the next morning. We had finished our staff meeting and it was very late at night. Some of us were visiting and working on projects. I was trying to bead the bottom of a coup feather and didn’t know how to do it well. I asked a wonderful staff member to help me for a minute. Even though he was very tired, he helped me. I had the desire to hurry and get the job done, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He went and got all his supplies, showed me how to use glue and leather on the thread to secure each bead in place. He helped me for about one & one-half hours. That’s the kind of person he is, always there to help you and teach you with love and patience.”
3) A member of the Bobwhite group: “For me I think the most meaningful experience I had at Woodbadge was the first evening when we shared our meaningful experiences together. It was a very touching special experience. It was very amazing to feel such a bonding to perfect strangers. It was a great learning experience for me on learning how important it is to know someone to be able to work together with them. I really enjoyed the rock climbing experience up the fireplace. It took every ounce of muscle in my body to do it. It was very scary too. I felt such elation at being able to climb that rock. It was something I’ve never done before and would probably not do or think I could do. I think you could compare that experience with life and difficulties we sometime have. Sometimes we lose our footing and slide down a little. The path is not always easy and it takes encouragement from those around us to keep us on track. And the safety lines we have around us are like keeping the commandments and prayer. But what joy and elation we will have when we reach our goal and return to live with our Savior. The most touching act of service for me was the last weekend when we went on our overnight campout. Because of a simple surgery I had a few days before Woodbadge, my doctor had counseled me to not do any heavy lifting. I was very worried about the campout and didn’t want to make my group carry my pack and equipment. I am usually doing things for others and was embarrassed to have to depend on someone else. A sweet member of our group told our group about my problem and they so willingly carried my tent, sleeping bag and other needed items. I was very deeply touched by their service and love they showed to me. Woodbadge was a very special experience for me and will always be a wonderful memory. It has been a life-changing experience for me. Probably the most wonderful part of Woodbadge was sharing it with my sweetheart husband. It was a great thing for us to share.”
4) Anonymous: “We had the humbling experience of listening to a war Veteran in full uniform speak to us about the freedoms and blessings of our country. As a prisoner of war he lost an eye, his hearing was damaged, he had bamboo sticks damage his tongue and the roof of his mouth and he dropped to 57 pounds – and he stood and told us how much he had to be grateful for, how much he loved America and how he would do it all again for his country. He was Indian and was raised on a reservation. He did the stunt work for the movie “A Man Called Horse” and he actually did the sun dance. He said he had done it about 25 times in his life. I really admired and honored this man and felt overwhelmed with gratitude at my blessings. I wonder what I would do – what is my true character – my integrity. I wish I could say I had it, but I don’t know. There was a hush when he left the room and we sat there in reverence, contemplating our many blessings. They asked us to then go outside and stand by the huge fire pit which glowed dimly with embers. It was a beautiful night, with stars lighting the quiet evening sky as 6 people wearing white gloves carried out a large old American flag in a horizontal position. As they did, the flag spoke to us through a narrator and told us what it represented, what it had done in its life, its many victories and honors, and now finally it’s time to be retired. It was very touching and emotional as they laid the flag slowly over the embers until the flames began to take “Old Glory”. It was a feeling I will never forget and stirred feelings of my country and my flag that have not surfaced for a long time. What a special promised land we live in – for God has spoken it, and only if we honor and cherish our freedom and recognize our God at all times will we remain free. I thought of Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty and what a strength and symbol it was for the Nephites. I will never talk to my Heavenly Father again without acknowledging this wonderful country and the many blessings he has given us through living here. I will never say the Pledge of Allegiance the same again – it is now another sacred gift Heavenly Father has given me through Woodbadge. I’m so grateful.”
5) A member of the Bobwhite group: “One of the things I think about when I think of Woodbadge is the learning experience we had when you threatened to divide up our groups and shuffle them. This experience really hit me because I had never really thought about how the youth feel when we release them from their various callings. I had an experience where my Beehive President was released from her position because she advanced to Mia Maids. She came to me on the Sunday she was released and asked if she could talk to the girls for a minute. She went on and on and cried and cried and all I was thinking about was how much time she was taking away from my lesson time. I never thought about it again until our separation experience at Woodbadge. You can believe I went through some real pain and finally realized how insensitive I had been. I couldn’t wait to get home that weekend to make it right with that young girl, even though it had been five months by that point. I will never again as long as I live forget the way I felt and try to always be sensitive to the youth as they are released from their positions. Another thing I think about is the repelling experience we had. This was the first time I had ever done anything like this before. I remember the sweating shaking feeling I had as I climbed the ladder. I froze as I reached the top and couldn’t walk down to the staff member who was running the repelling activity, he had to come to me. I hung on to him for dear life praying the whole time that I wouldn’t fall and die. My palms still to this day sweat when I think of this experience for I was so far out of my comfort zone. I just remember the staff member saying, ‘Have faith. Your person down below won’t let you go.’ I still remember the feeling as I slid off the side of the rafter and didn’t immediately fall and die. It was great, and by the time I reached the bottom I was loving it. As someone else said, ‘I was ten feet tall and bulletproof’. However, I can say I’ve done it now but I don’t think I ever want to do it again. The experience I had that no one knew about was this: I had been having a really hard time with some things that were going on in our business and had an appointment later in the week that I was worried about during one of my weekends at Woodbadge. I mentioned to another member of our group something about it and that was it. Later in the week, back in Provo, I came home and there was the nicest coup feather on my bed. It had been delicately made with really nice leather and beads. I could tell a whole lot of time and thought had been put into it. I couldn’t believe it was on my bed and that someone had taken the time to do it. I asked every member of my family who had put it there. They all had this sudden case of amnesia. I finally got it out of the youngest one (who loves to tell me secrets) that someone in a white Suburban had brought it and I figured out who had done it for she was such a thoughtful lady and always the first in our group to offer service and her help.”
6) A member of the Bear group: “As a group – I thought the Free-fall activity where each member of the squad supported the other when he was hooked up to the ropes connected to the rafters was a terrific experience. I learned how much other members of my squad cared about me. Something I silently noticed – We started out in the beginning caring only for ourselves. At the end, the whole group rallied for each other.”
7) An Owl group member: “I think the greatest help Woodbadge has given me, is in dealing with issues and things that are dealt to me that are out of my control. I realize I have choices and that I ultimately choose what happens to me, and what course I take. The concepts and experiences I have gone through have really helped me to be more empathetic, more compassionate, and more understanding of others and be more able to help where I can help and let go of what I can’t. The one-on-one experiences we had with the Owls at Woodbadge will never be forgotten and the relationships I gained will be eternal. There is just a sacredness about our patrol that nothing will mar for me, EVER. Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into making this a lasting impression for me.”
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