I was surfing the net recently and "Googled" Buckeye Leadership Workshop. I was looking for links and ideas to put on the website. Well, I came across this "testimonial". I copied it and sent it out to the Committee. My intent was to show that while we, as a committee, spend well over one hundred hours a year each and more money than I want to think about preparing the workshop, our classes and all that goes into Buckeye, we sometimes are not sure of the impact we make. John Moller, one of the recent attendees from Maryland, wrote this on a blog. It was completely unsolicited. It really put what we do into perspective, and believe me, gave a heck of a boost to the entire committee. We hope to see John this year. ~~ Steve Arnold~~
I received in the mail the other day one of the best and saddest pieces of mail I receive every year. It was my registration guide for the Buckeye Leadership Workshop. It's a sad piece of mail since I can no longer adequately justify the time or cost of going to this workshop. It's a happy piece of mail since it brings back all sorts of great memories.
Buckeye began for me in about 1999. Much of this story involves a part of my life that doesn't really exist anymore (it is laying dormant for a return at a different stage in my life.) I was serving as a counselor and camp director for my county 4-H program. They sent me to a workshop in Virginia called the 4-HNational Camping Institute. As the van carrying the contingent from state was about 20 minutes from the location of the convention, our top guy decided to tell us that we had been selected as the first "state of the day" and would need to put together a 20 minute presentation about our state camping program for the first day. Talk about giving us the news ahead of time. We arrived...and, surprise, he promptly disappeared. This left my fellow counselors and I (who had never been to one of these events) to come up with something that could adequately trumpet our state's program.
I suppose in the end, this wasn't that bad of a challenge. At camp we need to come up with stuff all the time. Each day we would need to write new songs, skits and yells for our nightly campfire...not to mention other things. We knew our program inside and out, so presenting it wasn't going to be problem. Visual aids and other helpful items. Now...those were going to be a problem.
The next morning in front of an audience from 23 different states that was made up of people overwhelming older and more experienced than us, my three fellow counselors and I began to work what I'd consider Delaware 4-H Camp Magic. We led the group first in a camp song. I do not recall which song. Then one counselor told a story explaining the origins of our camp. We then got up and led the "chicken skit".
Basically the idea is that the entire group gets up and does one chorus of the infamous chicken song and as they all sit back down one of the counselors would stand and do a Poultry Poem, Crack a chicken themed joke, or share a chicken fact. (There are 4 chickens to every human in the state of Delaware!) Of course...the whole time we're doing this someone else is walking around the room like a chicken with a beak on. This went over well...and promoted one of our state's major products. Third, we sang another song. Someone spoke about the ins and outs of the general camping program, staff and methodology. Following that was my moment.
Myself and a fellow counselor began to do Little Bunny Froo Froo. I will not that whatever you think you know of Little Bunny Froo Froo...is almost nothing compared to what we do. I play the part of Little Bunny Froo Froo and Styrofoam cups with little faces drawn on them play the role of the field mice. The song basically goes: Little Bunny Froo Froo Hopping through the forest, Scooping up the field mice and bashing them on the head. Down came the good fairy. And She said: Little Bunny Froo Froo I don't want to see you Scooping up the field mice and bashing them on the head.
Now, as the group sings that...I bounce around "the campfire" smashing field mice. I typically start with a crab mallet. (I've stated that if I were to ever get a tattoo it would be a rabbit with a crab mallet, this is why...) Someone, in this case Mary, would then come in as the good fairy and catch me and scold me in a little improvised skit. The first time she gives me three chances and then the three subsequent times I use up those chances. In the subsequent times I will shed the crab mallet for more topical weapons of Mice destruction. I throw my body into this in a way that generally impresses people.
That's what happened...We impressed the Ohio delegation who absolutely loved it. They said we needed to come to Buckeye (or BLW.)
The following year, as registration was closed for that year, a few of us went to Ashland Ohio for the Buckeye Leadership Workshop.
There are people who say that Disneyworld is the happiest place on Earth. They're wrong. It's Buckeye. People are your friends the moment they meet you. They give you hugs and back rubs. They always say nice and kind things. They listen and talk in a balanced amount. They tell you stories that will make you cry, stories that will make you laugh, stories that will make you think. They are ready to learn from you and you WILL learn from them, even if you're not trying.
Days are full. We always start with a little Morning Excitement which is something short and life affirming. My favorite was a school teacher bringing in children’s books and putting us in groups and having us read children's books to one another. When I returned home, I bought three of the books I saw that morning!
After that is Breakfast (though coffee is available before). Our breakfast breaks into singing and a daily opening presentation. Something to get us thinking...which sends us off to our Think Together Group. In Think Together we are placed in a group of about ten or so people and we have direct and frank discussions about what we're learning and what we're seeing, what we're feeling and how it relates to the world around us and our work back home.
Following that is a morning session that can range from square dancing to making African drums. Sessions I have taken included puppetry, storytelling, Science crafts for kids, outdoor games, creative dramatics, song leading, and others. This year's offerings include Native American Flute, Digital imaging, Flying Things, Weaving, What to do when the activity is thru, and a camp director's summit.
Let me say this now, as I seem to have forgotten it somewhere along the way. This is the Buckeye LEADERSHIP Workshop. It is generally for people who are in positions of recreational leadership. When I was a camp director or just working with youth, this was a great asset and there were far too many good sessions to choose just one or two. I've only listed a few above...and they barely scratch the surface. Their titles also don't even begin to give you a clue of the educational components involved or how much you will actually learn!
Each Session runs about 2 hours. You take two sessions and you take them every day for 4 days. They are split up by Lunch and a little free time
After the afternoon session it's time for 4 to 5ers, so called since they run from 4pm to 5pm. These are little instructional pods that anyone in attendance can take or teach. I ran one the last year I went on a little outdoor game called Bonving. It was during a 4 to 5er that I learned my favorite outdoor game Executive Marbles.
Dinner follows. More singing....and then...the evening program! I cannot tell you how much fun a buckeye evening program is....and right now I can't seem to find my disc of good buckeye pictures. Let's see...for evening programs I have dressed as Road Kill, a school lunch, and a fly. Dressing up is encouraged. The nightly themes have something to do with the overall theme of the week...but each night is different and many types of events are illustrated. Once we played Olympics with breakfast foods (muffin racing anyone?) ...or the year where all the music themed classes presented their works...and we witnessed (and took part in) some of the most interesting and beautiful displays of music I've ever heard....I'm not kidding...one of the classes that year was Mountain Dulcimers. These people had not only built the instrument they were playing, but learned how to play it in roughly 8 hours over 4 days. They played three beautiful songs!
The evenings end with a few quieter songs, a small presentation to bring it all together thematically...and afterwards you can go to bed...so hang with your new friends (which I did often singing and laughing...)
Buckeye is about stepping out of your comfort zone, among other things. They offer, at times, things you've never had a chance to do...and may never have a chance to do again. I've been so impressed with what people are willing to try....and what people achieve while they're there. The person you are at Buckeye is the person you are inside. I have no doubt of that...which probably explains why it's such a happy place.
I...there are more stories I could tell and want too...
The woman who had always wanted to unicycle but had never had the chance...until Buckeye! Watching her joy as she fulfilled her dream!
People come from all around; internationally even...My best St. Patrick's Day was spent at Buckeye. A man from Ireland led the entire group in a beautiful and haunting Irish tune called "Leave Her Johnny.” ....
The year the puppet class presented a short skit to the song Bulbous Bouffant. I have never in my life laughed so hard...and I wasn't even laughing as hard as the guy next to me. He was freaking out! It was...once in a lifetime. I'm smiling just thinking about it...
but then...I realize...
It will be four years since I've been to Buckeye when the next one roles around in March. I'm not in a job where it would be useful for the education purpose...though the soul cleansing joy and battery charging fun and excitement are worth the cost.... I'm just not sure I can justify it once again this year.
I will continue to think about it...and talk to people...see if any of the old gang is going to go. 4 of us attended together for three years and we got quite close. We had worked together before, so it wasn't inconceivable...but there's something about 20 hours in a car that really brings you closer to someone...then five days sharing a great experience...nothing like it in the world.
Sometimes...I think of my Buckeye memories....and A song from the Muppet Movie comes to mind...I imagine Gonzo singing..."I'm going to go back there someday."...I will. Maybe that day is coming soon. I hope.