Possible Jambo Location Change

[Beavah]

A highly placed individual in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), on condition of anonymity, announced today that the preparations for moving the National Jamboree from Fort. A. P. Hill to The Summit: Bechtel Family National Scout Reservein West Virginia have not been progressing at the expected pace.

 

The long-term contingency plan had been to hold the 2013 National Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill if The Summit is not ready. In a surprise announcement, however, the Department of Defense notified the Boy Scouts of America in March that A.P. Hill would not be available. The Summit should still be able to support a greatly scaled down National Jamboree, according to the BSA source, of approximately 15,000 participants.

 

As a result, the new contingency is to repeat the practice that had previously been attempted for the 1973 National Jamboree with two sites by splitting the Jamboree among three venues. This will actually have a positive result, said the BSA source, scouts from differing parts of the country will be able to seek out more affordable venues, however, we will have to increase the fee for participants significantly to cover the cost of the multiple venues.

 

The two sites considered beyond The Summit are Camp Owasippe in Michigan and Farragut State Park in Idaho, the site of the 1967 World Scout Jamboree and 1969 and 1973 National Scout Jamboree.

 

Given today's networking technology, we see this as an opportunity to demonstrate that Scouting has entered its second Century by allowing the scouts at each venue to experience the other venues using virtual technology. When asked if this networking opportunity would be made available to scouts who were not physically attending one of the three venues, the source stated that "we feel it would not be beneficial to the experience for scouts to only participate virtually. We also haven't worked out a financial package that would be satisfactory for such an offering."

 

The source reported that as of April 1, National Commissioner Tico Perez (ticop@aol.com) is taking the lead on preparations for alternate venues. Volunteers interested in helping with preparations for a western or central states jambo site may wish to contact him directly.

 

Wow!

 

Donald Roberts,

Fullerton, California(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[jhankins]

I'd love to see Jamborees on each coast, anyway. Everytime I cross Jamboree Road, I say a quick prayer.

 

San Diego has land that's just waiting for a jamboree.

[Eagle92]

LOL! You had me until I checked the thread that this story came from: April Fools Pranks.

[UCEagle72]

As an attendee of the 1973 Jambo (East), it actually worked out quite well.

 

But, from a "virtual" perspective, JOTA and JOTI have been around for a while.

 

(And yes, I did see where this spun from.)

[Twocubdad]

Cool!

 

See http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/historical_mb_program.aspxwhich in part reads

 

In recognition of the history and and contributions of our new Jamboree host state, the Boy Scouts of America has authorized a fifth historic merit badge, Mining.

 

The BSA first initiated its Mining merit badge in 1911, one of less than 30 available badges. Currently there are 120 merit badges covering a wide range of skills and interests. The Mining merit badge evolved into Rocks and Minerals, which then became the Geology merit badge. In 2008, 16,334 geology merit badges were earned for a total of 377,703 since the badges inception ( www.scouting.org/factsheets ).

 

Merit badges are periodically reviewed and revised. Some are discontinued or replaced with one or more new merit badges.

 

The Mining merit badge, initiated in 1911, had only four requirements:

 

 

1. Know and name 50 minerals

2. Know, name, and describe the 14 great divisions of the earths crust (according to Geikie)

3. Define watershed, delta, drift, fault, glacier, terrace, stratum, dip; and identify 10 different kinds of rock

4. Describe methods for mine ventilation and safety devices.

 

For the 100th Anniversary Celebration, four vintage merit badges are being released for the centennial celebration year only, giving Boy Scouts the hands-on opportunity to experience the exciting past of Scouting while learning how our world has changed in that 100 years.

 

Here are the basics of the 2010 Historic Merit Badge program.

 

An overall goal of the program is for a majority of the BSAs registered Boy Scouts to earn one or more of the merit badges during the centennial year, 2010.

 

The badges offered have a history that can be traced back to the origins of the BSA.

The original requirements are being used, as well as supported by scanned pages of the early merit badge pamphlets so a Scout can view what a Scout 100 years ago used. Supporting the scanned pages of the original pamphlets are information guides for each merit badge that explain what a Scout of 1910 might have experienced, along with background information to assist a Scout in understanding what maybe unfamiliar terms.

 

The contemporary merit badges closely resemble the original designs of their counterparts with the exception of the border, which is gold The unique border will immediately identify it as a 2010 historic merit badge.

 

The five historical merit badges may be used toward a Scouts rank advancement. The effective date for earning these new merit badges is April 1, 2010, and requirements must be completed no later than Dec. 31, 2010.

 

The BSA will not reprint the pamphlets for these merit badges. Reprints of the original merit badge pamphlets are posted to www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx.

As with all merit badges, units, districts, and councils should recruit and register qualified counselors for these badges.

 

Badges may be earned by individual Scouts. District and council advancement committees are encouraged to offer opportunities for Scouts to work on at least some of these merit badges at resident camp, at camporees, or during special anniversary celebrations. See the how to sections for additional support at www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx.