Category Archives: National Scout Jamboree

charleston

Charleston, W.Va., to Scout families: We’re your gateway to the jamboree

15 May 2013

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charleston-2You may have heard there’s a big party at the Summit this summer, a little get-together called the 2013 National Scout Jamboree.

But did you know that just an hour northwest of the BSA’s extravaganza sits the hip, historic city of Charleston, W.Va.?

West Virginia’s capital city has a host of opportunities hand-picked for packs, troops, teams, crews, and Scout families visiting the area this summer. And they’re extending a formal invitation to make Charleston a stop on your itinerary before, during, or after you visit, attend, or serve on staff at the jamboree.

The video embedded below — made just for Scouts and Scouters — spotlights a lot of what Charleston offers, much of it available for free or just a few bucks.

Some of the event highlights around jamboree time include: Live on the Levee, a free concert on July 12 headlined by American Idol winner Kris Allen; a July 13 free family movie night on the University of Charleston campus; several West Virginia Power minor-league baseball games; and a live taping of Mountain Stage, the popular two-hour music radio show.

And if you need a place to stay, that’s available for cheap at the University of Charleston’s residence halls.

Plan your visit at the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau site, or follow the jump for a roundup of activities and deals available:  Continue reading »

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Visiting ours: Jamboree visitor passes now available

13 May 2013

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jamboree-visitorDon’t just read about the great time we’re having at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree this summer.

Come see it for yourself.

Jamboree visitor passes — including one day, two days, and all days — are available now, starting at $35 for a one-day pass for visitors 11 or older.

Be sure you’re not left out by purchasing your passes today. Simply go to this information page and find the “Click for Visitors Passes” link. You can’t miss it; the button is big and red.

Just like you can’t miss the chance to be among the first to experience the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia. Unlike past jamborees, where visitors could see but not do, this time around visitors get to sample everything: ziplines, BMX bikes, rock climbing, shooting sports, and more.  Continue reading »

Messengers of Peace

These North Carolina Scouts and Venturers are giving Peace a chance

8 May 2013

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The precious ring can be yours, if you complete a Messengers of Peace project.

The precious ring can be yours, if you complete a Messengers of Peace project.

You can’t promote world peace by sitting on your couch.

No, you’ve got to follow the lead of units like Venturing Crew 122 of North Carolina’s Tuscarora Council. The Venturers and advisors of Crew 122, along with some Scouts from Troop 33, cleaned a 9.5-mile portion of the Neuse River by canoe last month.

Over the 10-hour day, they collected more than 400 plastic bottles, 70 glass bottles, 52 toys, 37 aluminum cans, and 36 styrofoam/paper cups.

Almost as impressive as that garbage haul is the fact that the Venturers kept a count of what they had collected: almost a half-ton of trash in all. And remember they collected it all by canoe.

The conservation effort went beyond just a daily good turn, though. It was the crew’s Messengers of Peace service project, earning them the ring patch seen above.

Now THAT is a load of garbage. Nice job, Scouts!

Now THAT is a load of garbage. Nice job, Scouts!

You were first introduced to Messengers of Peace in a blog post last year. The global program, which launched in 2011, is “designed to inspire millions of young men and women in more than 220 countries and territories to work toward peace. The initiative lets Scouts from around the world share what they’ve done and inspire fellow Scouts to undertake similar efforts in their own communities.”

How do you participate and get one of those Messengers of Peace ring patches? Read on…  Continue reading »

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Buy a Samsung device on AT&T, get a free jamboree-edition solar charging kit

30 April 2013

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att-charging-2There’s just one problem with all that Tweeting, Facebooking, and Instagramming Scouts and Scouters will do at this summer’s national jamboree.

All those Web-connected devices can only go as far as the batteries inside them.

So, hook up with Samsung and AT&T, an official sponsor of the 2013 National Scout Jamboree.

Now, when you purchase a new Samsung smartphone or tablet and sign up for a two-year plan with AT&T, you’ll get a commemorative, jamboree-edition Goal Zero Switch 8 solar charging kit (a $100 value) for free.

The pocket-size kit will fully charge a smartphone and gets its juice from the sun’s rays, meaning you won’t be tethered to a charging station at the Summit all week — though those will be available for the non-solar Scouts and Scouters among us.  Continue reading »

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Download version 1.0 of the Jamboree app on Android and Apple

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Updated, April 30: Apple iOS version now available

They say this summer’s National Jamboree will be the most-connected ever. Well, this is a great start.

Version 1.0 of the Jamboree Summit App is available on Apple and Android devices. The Android app clocks in at just over 10 MB and costs $0.99 in the Google Play store. The iOS version for Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch weighs 15 MB and costs $0.99 at the App Store.

The AT&T-sponsored app, intended for use by participants, staff, and visitors to the 2013 National Scout Jamboree, provides up-to-date information on all programs and activities being held at the Summit this summer. See some screenshots below. Continue reading »

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Jamboree youth participants: Don’t just be part of the story; write it yourself

27 March 2013

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Updated | April 22

This just in: All jamboree youth participants are invited to register as National Hometown News Correspondents.

An email home to Mom and Dad? These Scouts and Venturers will do one better, sharing their first-person jamboree experience with local news organizations back home. Get your guys and girls to register today and start making headlines in their local newspapers or TV stations.

Here’s the scoop:  Continue reading »

tsa-pocketknives

Update: TSA delays policy to allow small pocketknives in flight

6 March 2013

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Update | April 23, 2013: The TSA announced yesterday that it was postponing the rule allowing small knives on planes. There was no new date announced for the policy change, so stay tuned. The original post is below …

Effective next month, your Scouts and others traveling by plane will be permitted to carry on small pocketknives.

The Transportation Security Administration said on Tuesday it was relaxing certain restrictions to allow small pocketknives, golf clubs, and other sports items to be carried on to planes, better matching international standards for air travel.

The changes take effect on April 25, 2013, meaning Scouts and Venturers flying to the jamboree, a high-adventure base, or anywhere else this summer may have one less thing to worry about at the airport.

Be careful — not all pocketknives are allowed as carry-ons. A knife is only allowed if:  Continue reading »

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What you need to know if you’re visiting the 2013 national jamboree

26 February 2013

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2013jamboreelogo-200x326(Updated, May 13) First, you can give up your seat on the sidelines and get into the game.

Paying visitors this summer can sample some of the same high-adrenaline activities that the Scouts experience.

At past jamborees, a lot of the fun stuff — BMX, climbing, shooting sports — was off-limits to visitors. Not this time. But just like an amusement park, all that fun comes at a cost. 

So brush up now on the 2013 National Scout Jamboree Visitor Policy:  Continue reading »

train-stock

Update on scheduled stadium show performers for 2013 jamboree

26 February 2013

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UPDATE (March 8): As you may have read in recent news reports, the scheduled jamboree performers have chosen not to attend the 2013 National Scout Jamboree.

Here’s the BSA’s statement: “We appreciate everyone’s right to express an opinion, including these performers’ decision not to perform at the Jamboree. We remain focused on delivering a great Jamboree program for our Scouts. While the Jamboree experience is enhanced by the concerts, they are supplements to a program centered on adventure, as young people build lifelong friendships. We are reviewing the content of our stadium shows, but our focus remains on the broader issue of delivering a great Jamboree program for our Scouts.”

I’ll post more updates about the jamboree stadium shows as I get them.

Below is the original post in which I announced who would be performing:  Continue reading »

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These are your 2013 jamboree duffel bags

7 February 2013

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(Updated Feb. 20, 2013) It may be a little early to start packing for the jamboree this summer, but I’ve got a sneak peek at what you’ll stuff all that gear into.

Take a look at the Osprey Transporter BSA, a sturdy, well-reviewed bag with detachable backpack straps and a classy 2013 National Scout Jamboree logo stitched on the side.

Every registered participant and staffer will get one of these as part of their jamboree registration fee, and it’s one bag that looks like it’ll hold up well beyond 10 days in rugged West Virginia this summer.

By the way, you’ll need to fit all your gear in this jamboree-provided duffel and your personal day pack. Fortunately, big items like your tent and cot are provided for you at your jamboree campsite.

The bag measures roughly 32 by 18 by 16 inches (length, width, and depth). The capacity is 115 liters (not the 95 I previously reported). There are three compartments: the main pocket, one at the top that also holds the backpack straps, and another on the flap of the main pocket.

Find full photos of the bag after the jump:  Continue reading »