Preparing for the gathering storm

If you check my Facebook profile right now you'll see that my status says that I "need to stop volunteering for things." It's actually been my status since last Thursday and refers mainly to the upcoming Cardinal District Merit Badge Weekend (MBW) that I (foolishly) volunteered to be Program Director for.

The three distinguished gentlemen in the picture are (from left to right) our district's Program Director, the Camp Director for MBW (my cohort), and the MBW business manager. We all got together on Saturday to walk around the council's Scout reservation and check all the facilities and hammer out the what we hope are the last of the details so we'll ready for the 700 people who will be coming to the event this coming weekend.

Yes ... 700 people. About 550 Scouts, 100 adult leaders and 50 staff members. For heavens sake, the Persian army only had to deal with a lousy 300. Even Spartans would be worried about 550 Boy Scouts.

When I ran the Cub Scout Day Camp I'd get this panicky feeling that would start about two weeks before the event and would culminate in a massive bout of worry and absolutely no sleep on the night before the event. For this event, I've tried to be pretty mellow but just tonight at our last staff meeting I started to feel that familiar twinge in the lower part of my back that will slowly creep up and spread during the week as my mind starts to realize that the event will really happen. All these kids are really going to show up. And I'm responsible for the program.

Why did I sign up for this? What on earth was I thinking?

Actually, I'm sure everything will be fine and if it isn't I can always hold on to the same thought that got me through day camp: At some point, the event will be over and I'll live to see another day.