An overview of ScoutmasterDave’s trip to the World Scout Jamboree in Summit Bechtel.
Transcript:
This week is a special ScoutMaster Dave filmed at the World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia.
The World Scout Jamboree is held every four years, and this was the first time the event was held in the United States since 1967, when it was held at Farragut State Park in Idaho. This year the event is at Summit Bechtel Reserve, a BSA high adventure camp in West Virginia, and is the 24th World Scout Jamboree.
Fifty thousand scouts living side by side from 160 countries makes for a multi-cultural experience as you walk through the exhibit areas.
As visitors to the event we were only able to see and take part in a small part of the events, as most of the opportunities like zip lining, boating and other major activities are set aside for Jambo Participants.
We past by Idea markets, where particpants can go on stage and give ideas on how to make a better world, the cricket café which featured cricket delicacies is all type of flavors – including a cotton candy flavor. A Gillwell park stand offering tea samples from the UK, and many other scouting booths from countries.
Along the way, there are statues from major donors to Summit Bechtel. There are Eleven bronze sculptures of the key individuals behind this great project, created by Tom White and unveiled during the 2013 National Jamboree.
There are also sporadic vendor sites, like this one from Jack Links Beef Jerkey, a big sponsor of Scouting.
Within the visitor area there are smaller versions of the skate park and mountain biking events to accommodate scouts that want to just try them out for the first time. But as you step up your game Summit offers an X Games-quality skate park.
There is a big presence in sustainability here with booths in food production and wastes, as well as the Sustainability Treehouse which is a living education center for visitors to the Summit Bechtel Reserve, not only providing information, but also immersing visitors in the concept of sustainability.
We continue our tour with a trip to the top of the CONSOL Energy Wing Tip Bridge which provided a birds eye view all across the Summit.
Patch trading was also huge at the Jamboree, with scouts and adults laying out blankets and trading their wears. Signs everywhere looked to enforce scouts only trading with scouts and adults only trading with adults.
There was also an indoor Jamboree museum that featured a large patch display with contributions from site visitors, highlighting artifacts like hats, uniforms and souvenirs fro, past jamborees. There were posters and information from each of the past 23 jamborees, showing a history and a timeline from all the way back to 1920. This proved to be a popular spot as the as it was shaded and air conditioned in the 90 plus temperature as indicated by the excessive heat warnings delivered through the jamboree app.
Summit Bechtel is a beautiful site for a jamboree with picturesque water views and rolling hills for the six basecamps and total of 23 subcamps.
Take what you like and leave the rest, and as we say in Woodbadge, feedback is a gift, leave yours below in the comments, with the hope we can all learn together.
I’m Scoutmaster Dave, and this was a little trip through the World Jamboree.
