This is a letter I wrote to my Stake if anybody wants to use it or tweak it in anyway.
Dear Bishops of the Driggs Idaho Stake,
Dear Bishops of the Driggs Idaho Stake,
I am writing this email to try to encourage more participation in the Wood Badge courses. As a Stake, we have surprisingly few of our new scouting leaders who have been properly trained in the Scouting Organization. The leaders receive the calling, and most do the online "Youth Protection Training" to get registered, but it seems like after that, most training stops. Round Table is very poorly attended as well. I believe that when a new leader is called they should be highly encouraged to attend Wood Badge very soon.
I asked President Cooke (who has been a few times) the other day, "How can I get more leaders to Wood Badge"? He told me to write this letter to all Bishops of the Stake and to plead for your support. I am asking that you bring this topic up in your Ward Councils and PEC meetings and encourage the main leaders to attend Wood Badge. President Cooke specifically mentioned that at a minimum, the COR's, Young Men Presidencies, Venture Leaders, ScoutMasters and Assistants and 11 Year Old ScoutMasters and Assistants, and Cub Scout Leaders should attend. He also strongly encourages the Primary President to attend.
I have attended Wood Badge and can attest to its effectiveness. I will be on staff for the June Course of Wood Badge and am excited. I promise that the leaders of your Wards will learn things they never knew they could learn which will put them in better position to make the Scouting program much more effective in each ward.
The spirit is amazingly strong at Wood Badge. With the strong pull of "negative attention-getters", such as technology and peers, it is very challenging to keep the boys on the right path. We need good leadership. The "boy led troop" is the way to teach them the skills they will need to become better missionaries, better fathers and will ultimately lead to a stronger community. We are training our replacements. The boys deserve good trained leaders to accomplish this.
I would ask that you have your leadership read the article by Charles Dahlquist, who at the time it was written, was the Young Men's General President. It is very compelling. Please have them pray if it is the right thing to do as there is much opposition from the adversary to go. (Here is a link to that letter. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxxXoDKxoUqsQi1WWFNSZjBNbDA/view.) As a bonus the Stake will help pay for anybody who wishes to attend that belong to our Stake. For teachers there are some credits they can obtain as well.
I am strongly biased toward the June course (June 15-17 and June 22-24) and think it will be by far the best, as we have a great Course Director, named Aimee Barry. Here is the link to the blog to that course. It has all the necessary items to register and can answer any questions you may have. http://woodbadgejune.blogspot.com/p/overview.html
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But any and all of the Wood Badge courses are good if June doesn't work. Other dates are August 7-12, Sept. 14-16 and 21-23, November 2-4 and 9-11, Feb. 22-24 and March 1-3. Please please please consider this. Let me know if you have any questions. I can also take care of applications and help direct with financing if needed.
Sincerely,
Chad Roberts
Scoutmaster of Troop 82
