Buffalo Patrol's Booton first to finish ticket

Like he did with the "Spider's Web,"
Terry proves through completing his
ticket quickly that there's no obstacle
that will slow down his success!

Roughly six months after the conclusion of Wood Badge Course S9-91-14, the Buffalo Patrol's Terry Booton becomes the first course participation to complete his Wood Badge ticket. Terry, a den leader in Pack 21, chartered by First United Methodist Church in LaGrange, set out through his ticket to help his pack be "a well-oiled machine" where the Scouting program would continue to grow. To that end, his ticket items included the following goals:

• Goal 1: increase fall recruitment and obtain leaders' buy-in for those recruitment efforts by holding a diversity workshop through which leaders developed a strategy for attracting more diversity groups through the pack's recruiting efforts
• Goal 2: improve scheduled pack events by creating a step-by-step play book for those running events that include loop-a-ramas, rain gutter regattas, and pinewood derbies
• Goal 3: teach a cooking demonstration session at an outdoor leaders' skills course
• Goal 4: staff the Spartan Program at the 2014 Resident Camp and assist with teaching Webelos Scouts outdoor skills
• Goal 5: develop a training guide for pack leaders, and track and monitor leaders' training progress

Terry considers his ticket item pertaining to staffing the 2014 Resident Camp his most rewarding project. "I have been there twice before as a den leader and parent. This time I had the opportunity to work behind the scenes and help make certain things ran well and on time," he said. "I really enjoyed supporting Todd Stephens and making the program a big success. I was able to help correct some of the problems that I had seen in prior years."

Setting deadlines proved vital in staying on task and on schedule. He credited his success to "giving myself a deadline for each project and making it a priority on my calendar. I had all my tickets planned with a target date and was able to achieve those dates by being organized, working the plan and keeping those who were helping me focused with a target date for completion."

Terry is scheduled to receive his beads at the council's Wood Badge Reunion at Camp Lumpkin on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015.