Valley Forge Pilgrimage 2004 -- fantastic event!

[Laurie]

I attended this event yesterday with 2 fellow Cub Scouters, 1 Boy Scout, and four Cub Scouts. It was truly amazing to stand on a field with thousands of Cub Scouts, Scouts, and Scouters! Each station was manned by reenactors and speakers who brought history to life for us. The Valley Forge National Historic Park itself has much to offer, so once the Pilgrimage came to a close, we took our own tour. We visited the Welcome Center, The Washington Memorial Chapel, Artillery Park, followed some deer tracks and then practiced getting closer quietly, found tracks and evidence of other animals (the boys loved doing this!), and then visited the World of Scouting Museum. When I presented the boys their patches, it was a little speech on the significance of all that was learned this day and the unique qualities not only to the patch but more importantly to each year's events. They held them as though they were as hallowed as the ground they had just walked on. They are talking about next year already, and the boys who will be in Scouts next year were disappointed to hear that their troop does not take part in this event. However, they are going to try to talk the SM into taking them, and they'd really like to camp out and take part in the Encampment. The funny thing about this is the boys at first said this would be boring, but I talked it up, and they gave it a try. I know these boys fairly well, and they all struggle with history; they loved it yesterday. Scouting is just too cool to allow for boredom, and the lessons learned are priceless

[fotoscout]

Laurie,

 

Is this done every year, and do you know where I can get some information about it, like schedules and that type of thing?

 

I might like to plug it into my program next year or the year after.

 

Thanks

Foto

[Laurie]

Fotoscout, I sure do know where you can get the info This year's form in on-line right now, so you can get an even better idea of what it is about. It is an annual event, and it is the longest running annual council event throughout the United States; this year was the 93rd.

 

For information, check out http://www.colbsa.org/ and then Events and then Pilgrimage. This year Florida, New Jersey, and Utah were represented. There may have been other states outside of PA there, but those were the ones I recall hearing announced.

[fotoscout]

Thanks Laurie, we did the Valley Forge Pilgrimage yesterday!

 

What a great event. I was a long drive for us as a one day trip, but it was really worth it. If I had one word to sum it up with I would say it was APPROPIRATE. From the hiking distances, to the presentations at each station, it was appropriate. The boys had a great time and learned plenty, as did the adults.

 

Well be back for the Encampment in a few years!

(This message has been edited by fotoscout)

[Laurie]

Hey, that's great! I was just logging on today to post and ask if anyone took part this year. I am waiting on the guys in my family to return from the Encampment to hear all about it. It was cold enough yesterday that I didn't drop by with my 3-yr-old, but how I wish I could have gone. Though I hadn't a thing to do with the event, I sure am glad you enjoyed time on "my turf"

[ASM1]

Well, I missed it this year. But our Troop went to the encampment and our Pack went on the day trip. They are still talking about it. Wow! I'll be going next year with our Troop. From what I hear, it was Fabulous!

 

ASM1