NEW ALBANY —
EDITOR’S NOTE: Special correspondent John Clere, of New Albany, is reporting on a trip to the 2010 National Jamboree in Washington, D.C. Look for more photos and articles in the coming days.
It was a rude awakening on Saturday morning at 5:45 a.m., with the yelling, the pushing of chairs, and waking up to find your blanket on the other side of the bus, but it was well worth it.
After an overnight bus ride, our troop, National Jamboree Troop 1810, was incredibly excited to hear that we had reached our destination. We ate an early breakfast, were handed two water bottles, divided into groups of four, and set free to roam Washington, D.C.
During the next three days, we saw the Washington Monument, Grand Central Station, the White House, and the Lincoln Memorial. We also visited the Smithsonian museums. On Sunday, we watched a giant parade from where we were near the Washington Monument. Among other things, the parade featured a DeLorean (the car that was in the “Back to the Future” movies) and, according to our Scoutmaster David Huff, was the first “Scout-related parade” since the very first National Jamboree in 1937.
On Monday, Taylor Hooper, 17, of Troop 15 in New Albany, was one of four senior patrol leaders who presented a wreath from the Lincoln Heritage Council at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
We set up camp on Monday. Our campsite is approximately 80 by 100 feet. Gathering and dining areas are in the middle, and our two-man tents are set up around all four sides of the site. Each Council’s campsite has a gateway of its very own and ours is special: we have two large Louisville Slugger bats set on both sides of the entrance. The Louisville Slugger company loaned us the huge bats and gave each Scout a regulation-sized baseball bat of his very own!
On Tuesday at 4 p.m., the author of the “Aragon” series, Christopher Paolini, gave a speech at the Southern Arena. He told of his own Scout-like experiences and told us how Scouting has inspired his writing. Paolini taught us briefly how to make knives and told us that the fourth and last “Aragon” book has a green dragon on the cover. And, although he wouldn’t tell us the title to the book, he did give us the scoop that the last two words in it are “The End.” To Paolini, writing stories is “making something out of nothing.”
In addition to the Paolini talk, Tuesday was also a fantastic day for patch trading. To most Scouts attending Jamboree this year, patch trading isn’t just a thing to do, it’s a sport. Some Scouts spend their entire week trading patches. Some come out with more patches than they started with. Some come out of it with fewer. Some of these are Scout Council patches (the kind worn on the shoulder), and some are other patches that have nothing to do with Scouts. Nevertheless, patch trading is a fantastic experience that every Boy Scout should do whenever he can.
Just how fun is it, I asked Jack Amend, 12, of Troop 36 in New Albany. “Patch trading is insane! I love it!”
Clere, 12, is a First Class Scout in Troop 36 in New Albany who is attending the National Jamboree for the first time and is enjoying every minute of it.
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Related Photos
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Four senior patrol leaders from the Lincoln Heritage Council present a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Monday. Taylor Hooper, 15, of Troop 15 in New Albany, can be seen returning from just having presented the wreath while the other senior patrol leaders look on. The Lincoln Heritage Council Scouts concluded an extended weekend in Washington, D.C. with the ceremony just before arriving at Ft. A.P. Hill to attend the National Jamboree. Photo by Scout Master David Huff
Discussion
Jamboree keeps Scouts busy
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