This flame symbolizes the spirit of Wood Badge. It will burn throughout our ceremony.
We are here to honor _______________, and to present them with their Cub Scout Trainer Wood Badge.
The Trainer's Creed charges trainers to dedicate themselves to influencing the lives of boys through the training of their leaders.
In accepting this charge, Wood Badge Cub Scout Trainers give unselfishly of themselves to ease the journey along the Cub Scout trail, for leaders and for boys.
______________ themselves began as leaders who helped along the way by others, now are pledged to help those who follow them.
In so doing they are part of a time-honored Wood Badge tradition that links the past to the future.
Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, created the first Wood Badge course in 1919. It was held in a place called Gilwell Park, on the outskirts of London, and was a course for Scoutmasters. Two years later, in 1921, Baden-Powell conducted the first Wood Badge course for Cub Scout Leaders. This course also was held at Gilwell Park and has since evolved into a course for those who TRAIN Cub Scout leaders.
Wood Badge has become an important link to world Scouting. Scouters who earn the Wood Badge are granted honorary membership in the first Gilwell Park Pack or Troop, signified by the numeral one. Members of this international group number in the tens of thousands. They are found in over 100 countries on every continent in the world. All have dedicated themselves to serve the brotherhood and ideals of Scouting.
The Cub Scout Trainer Wood Badge program consist of a practical phase and an application phase. The practical phase is the course itself, where candidates learn and practice training skills. For the application phase, candidates must establish and carry out goals to apply these training skills. They have to achieve their goals within a minimum of six months and a maximum of two years.
These are the challenging, arduous tasks, and not everyone completes them. Those who do serve as an inspiration to us and deserve honor and respect.
I now call on members of the Award Team to take their places.
Beads -
Neckerchief -
Woggle -
Escort (is the one who removes training neckerchief) -
Will the escorts please present _________________ to be recognized.
While they were working on their requirements for Wood Badge, _________________ wore a special Blue and Gold TRAINING neckerchief. Now that they have completed their requirements, the training neckerchief may be retired.
Please remove the training neckerchief.
The symbol of Wood Badge is two small wooden beads, worn on a leather thong around the neck. These are replicas of a wooden bead necklace that Baden-Powell acquired as spoils of war in Africa, in 1888.
Looking for a suitable recognition for the Scouters who completed the first Wood Badge course, Baden-Powell, remembered the necklace. He gave a wooden bead from it to each of the participants. From then on, the name Wood Badge was attached to the course.
It is now traditional for the beads to be awarded from around the neck of one who has served on the staff of a Wood Badge course. The tradition links the ceremony to the first awarding of beads by Baden-Powell, when he too presented the beads from around his neck to the first Scouters who completed their Wood Badge requirements.
Please present the Wood Badge beads.
Next is the Wood Badge neckerchief.
Gilwell Park, where Wood Badge began, was donated to the British Boy Scouts Association by a Scottish Commissioner named MacLaren. Gilwell is a special place in the hearts of Wood Badgers around the world. In a spirit, ALL Wood Badge courses, regardless of geographical location, are held at Gilwell.
We honor MacLaren's generous gift of Gilwell Park by wearing a patch of his clan's hunting tartan on the point of the Wood Badge neckerchief.
Please present the Wood Badge neckerchief.
Last is the Wood Badge neckerchief slide, known as a woggle.
The tradition of wearing a slide or woggle on a neckerchief began with Wood Badge at Gilwell. Other Scouts and Scouters have imitated the fashion set by Wood Badgers, but no other woggle is like the Wood Badge one. It is made of two strands of round leather thong woven into a "Turk's head" showing no beginning and no end, thus symbolizing the universal Brotherhood of Scouting,
Please present the Wood Badge woggle.
This completes the Wood Badge regalia, their centerpiece is the two small wooden beads. They have no intrinsic value, but they are a priceless to those who wear them.
These beads are known and respected around the world, they do not symbolize the end of something. Rather, they symbolize a continuing commitment of service to others and a promise always to do your best.
Stare very hard at the candle.
Is that merely a flame that you see?
Or is it the spirit of Wood Badge -
known only to you and me.
It's a spirit that surrounds us
from without and within.
It's a flame that will burn forever -
it's brightness will never dim.
And when you work for others
and help to fill their needs,
you are carrying out the commitment
symbolized in the wearing of your beads.
May all your goals be accomplished -
may you never stumble or bog,
and may you always be guided
by the spirit of the ax set in the log.
Wear your Wood Badge beads proudly, you have earned them, congratulations.
I'd like all Wood Badgers to come forward to offer their congratulations, but first, it's back to Gilwell! Are their any beavers out there?
This concludes our ceremony. Thank you for your attention.
