Wood Badge — 1991
I had the grand opportunity of serving on a Varsity Scout Wood Badge staff in August 1991. After I had attended Wood Badge as a participant in 1990, I sorely hoped that I might be asked to serve on staff. I dropped a few hints to David Cope, and I was absolutely elated when Dave Wells, the Course Director, called and asked me to serve. My serving on this staff was a tremendous strain on Susan, as I had to attend six staff developments, which were one Friday and Saturday in each of the six months which preceded our course, and I was then gone eleven straight days for the course itself. I served as Unit Commissioner (Coach Counselor) for the Eagle team and enjoyed that greatly. We had many memorable experiences, including 1) the Fox team misreading the instructions at the tent setup challenge and their trying to set up a dome tent with everyone blindfolded and without using their hands, and ultimately trying to thread aluminum tent poles through the tent loops with their teeth 2) my first experience in a mountain sauna (sweat lodge) 3) getting hooked on astronomy 4) having a wonderful person and friend, as my tent-mate 5) winning a Dutch oven for recruiting the most candidates 6) sharing this great week with my dear sister Dayna, who was the hit of the course. I’m sure I learned more during the course than most of the candidates, and am grateful for this wonderful influence Scouting can have in the lives of men, women, and boys.
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