|
|
||
Thousands of Scouts are gearing up for the National Scout Jamboree, which starts tomorrow Date published: 7/25/2010
BY PORTSIA SMITH The 2010 National Scout Jamboree starts tomorrow as the highlight of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Nearly 45,000 Scouts and staff will make their way to Fort A.P. Hill to participate in what the organization expects to be its last jamboree at the Caroline County Army base. The Scouts plan to hold the next jamboree at a new site being developed in West Virginia. The 10-day event runs until Aug. 4 and will be filled with activities and entertainment for the Scouts. One of the new offerings is Camp Thunder, a shooting range where Scouts can get a badge for skeet shooting. Also new this year is the fact that Scouts won't need cash for snacks and supplies. Instead, they'll wear water-resistant, disposable smart bracelets, which include a barcode that allows them to make purchases that will be charged to their accounts. The bracelets will also be scanned for a faster and easier registration process, BSA officials said. To improve safety, the jamboree will have an emergency operations center that is four times as large as the one in 2005. Four adult leaders from Alaska were electrocuted on the first day of that jamboree when a pole for a dining tent they were erecting hit a power line. Jamboree officials have also created easement lines and put up bright yellow signs to try to prevent Scouts and their leaders from erecting tents or digging anywhere near electrical lines There will also be 19 medical and first-aid centers throughout the campsite. A color-coded heat-index flag will fly atop the medical posts to let Scouts know what activities are allowed depending on the temperature, which is expected to be in the 90s most days. And to keep the thousands of 12- to 17-year-olds cool, officials have added two more 100,000-gallon swimming pools to the four that were in place in 2005. Virginia State Police troopers will be positioned at each of Fort A.P. Hill's four gates throughout the jamboree, ready to direct traffic when backups form. Peak traffic days are expected to be tomorrow, when Scouts arrive, and Aug. 4, when the jamboree ends. Saturday's arena show is also expected to create more traffic. Scout officials have not announced what acts will be performing, but there will be a fireworks show at 10 p.m. Visitors are allowed at the jamboree, and officials expect about 133,00 to attend. The Scouts call them Official Centennial Jamboree Supporters, and each visitor will be asked for a $10 donation at the gate to help cover some of the added expenses and cleanup, according to the BSA website. Portsia Smith: 540/374-5419
Read more stories about Caroline Date published: 7/25/2010
Probably one of the most positively influential organizations for young boys ever to exist. The things they learn stay with them for a lifetime. I speak from experience when I say that nothing else prepared me better for adulthood than the lessons I learned while I was a Scout.
This is going to be a great event for the county & one that will be missed since might be the last. Looking forward to event on Sat and hope everyone have a great time during the week long events. BSA do make a difference.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
