New Scout Positions & University of Scouting

Glenn and I have been the Webelos den leaders for a couple years now. (I lose track.) We lost our cubmaster and committee chair just after Thanksgiving last year after a ward boundary change. After nine months, Glenn and I were given those positions, and new Webelos leaders were called. It’s been nice to have a full pack leadership again.

This year’s annual University of Scouting day, formerly known as College of Cub Scouting, formerly known as Pow Wow, was in October instead of November. This time it was combined with all the Boy Scout training as well. I was teaching Webelos First Responder Teaching Tips with Glenn as my backup leader/body. I volunteered to teach when they were desperate to fill the last few classes.

Friday night (the night before the event) we went to Mount Jordan Middle School (where the University of Scouting was being held) to see if they needed help setting up. We ended up helping set up in the gym, where a Blue and Gold banquet was being held during lunch Saturday. It was all designed and planned by Misty, the goddess of party planning and decorating. Seriously, all the stuff was amazing. The theme this year was Master Builders, so everything was stuffed with Lego decorations of all kinds.

We were there about two hours and got some hoagie sandwiches to eat. At 9 we both felt the urgent need to go but dismissed it as being lazy and trying to get out of helping. We did leave ten or fifteen minutes after 9, though. As we drove home, I remembered Deven. We’d both completely forgotten about him. (He gets off work at 9.) When we got to his work, he wasn’t there, but we found him on the side of the road walking home.

We arrived early Saturday and had opening ceremonies at 8. At 9 I went to a class on gatherings and games, which turned out to be really good. It was fun and helpful. At 10 and 11 I taught my class while Glenn tried to sleep in the background. The first class had about five people in it. The second class had about ten or so. I had them make first aid kit neckerchief slides out of prescription bottles. They stuffed them with band-aids, alcohol wipes, antiobiotic ointments packets, and burn cream packets. Then they glued a ring on. (In my observation of Pow Wow, people like classes best when they get to take something tangible home from them.) Then I had them act out injuries and treatment. Glenn had to be the injured victim I ran out of volunteers. People told me the class had been helpful. I really hope so.

Next we had our lunch hour. Glenn picked up his lunch from the cafeteria, and we went to the church next door for the Blue and Gold. I just brought popcorn and crackers to snack on. Misty was there on stage, talking about running a Blue and Gold and how she did all the decorations and stuff. Glenn and I and others were presented with our doctorates, which takes four years of Pow Wow to get. Then Misty also gave us thank-you gifts for helping set up Friday night. (I got candy, and Glenn got hand sanitizer with Lego pieces inside.)

That left two hours for the afternoon. Glenn just followed me. I tried going to a music making class at 1, but I guess I had the time wrong because it wasn’t at that hour. But the teachers in there let us make a “snarfblat” instrument out of a piece of PVC pipe, a straw, and a surgical glove. At 2 we went to do neckerchief slides. We made two in the class. I was very proud that I managed to figure out how to make the checkered bead slide. Seriously, this is my greatest engineering achievement.

These are some photos of the Lego decorations:

The Lego circles are paper plates.

Life-sized Lego figure!!