National Jamboree 2013

Reports from Troop 31 Correspondent Danny K.

The Seneca Waterways Jamboree Contingent left Sunday evening @ 10:30. Four buses carrying five Boy Scout Troops and one Venturing Crew caravanned to the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia. Pictured are the members of "Los Lobos" Patrol in Troop B407 ... seven Troop 31 scouts (Tyler B., John F. Davis H., David H., Danny K., Matt M., Luke Z. - along with Nick B. from Troop 37) prior to the bus departure. On Monday 7/15, Seneca Waterways Contingent arrived in West Virginia, set up tents at their Base Camp and toured the grounds. Contingent Tents and Seneca Waterways Base Camp Tuesday morning 7/16 was the Opening Program. Our boys had seats 150 yards from the stage for the Closing Program, where they enjoyed: the National Boy Scout Band, Sarah Centeno (pop rock singer), Scott Lagasse Jr. (Boy Scout Nascar driver), Wayne Brock (the Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America), Wayne Perry (the National President of the Boy Scouts of America), King Carl Gustov (King of Sweden), Randall Stevenson (AT&T Chairman), Mike Rowe (Host of TV's "Dirty Jobs"), and 3 Doors Down (an American rock band from Escatawpa, Mississippi). As you can see from the photo below - the skies were balmy and the weather incredible! What a glorious afternoon of entertainment. Troop 31 Contingent after the 5+ mile hike to the top of the Summit! Please check back for more information and photos as they become available. The scouts are expected to return home to Rochester sometime around 9 PM on Wednesday, July 24. Pick-up at LL Bean parking lot at Eastview Mall.

REPORTS FROM Troop 31 Corespondent: Danny K.
{Day 1} After over 9 hours on the bus, we arrived in one piece to the oven also known as the Bechtel Summit. We set up our campsite and went into meetings after we set out on the Summit Center. Here we explored different booths and got many patches (mostly John and Danny) while others slept the day away (Davis and Luke) while Tyler, Nick, Matt, and David tried their hands at multiple hands of euchre and BS. We finished the day with a chicken dinner and more patch trading around our base camp.

{Day 2} We woke up this morning to more fog in the air than ever, it was so thick you couldn’t see 100 yards in front of you. We had a cereal breakfast and set off for the stadium where we had many talks, beach balls and a performance from Taylor Made, a WVA trio country band. After this concluded we were set free among the summit to do what our little hearts desired which involved shooting, mining, patches, and more euchre. Well its 10 minutes till lights out, so until next time, I’m Danny K. with your JAMBO update.

{Day 3 & 4} Day three was packed with patches...patches...and more patches also a little of thunder and amazing lightning shows. As Davis, Tyler and Luke hit the Whitewater Rafting rapids on the New River Gorge, the rest of the crew did patch trading and military challenges up the wazoo. John, Danny and Nick came out with a lot of patches. David and Matt competed in the lake obstacle course. Overall we had a really good day with many stories to tell you guys when we come home...until tomorrow. I’m THE Danny K.

{Day 5 & 6} Thursday was our service day in which we got on a bus and went to Monongahela National Forest to lay gravel on a beat up and swampy trail. We got up at 6 and boarded the bus for an unplanned 4 hour bus ride that made us 3 hours late. So off to work we went, with limited time and lots of rock puns (Luke and Davis and Danny) we were able to cover at least 60 percent of the trail with gravel. Once back at camp, John went patch trading and Davis, Luke, Matt, Dave, Nick, and Tyler played intense games of Egyptian rat screw. Friday was our tech day where we got to go see all the "cool" stuff Jambo had. We started off the day with 2 injuries on the homefront Luke (broken finger) and Danny (broken bracket on braces) we started our day walking around the Summit Center. The other boys did the cool science show which the guy made a cloud inside a tent, also NASA was there showing off its cool gadgets and gizmos. Once we got back John and Danny added to their patch collections and Davis and David and Nick won many rat screw games Saturday was the big stadium concert. While overplaying American Pie and Luke getting a nasty sunglass tan and David messing with Danny’s mind in the super hot stadium. Davis and John were so excited the King of Sweden came because they thought it was a scam. We saw the band, 3 Doors Down perform as well as a Miley Cyrus wanna be whose name escapes me. We also got to see Mike Rowe, the guy from Dirty Jobs told us to “Work hard … and smart!”. After it was over, there was a storm that made a new Everglades in our campsite, thus making out scout socks very wet. Until tomorrow I’m THE Danny K.

{Day 7, 8 & 9} Sunday was a very lazy day because it was our “Day of Rest”. A couple boys went to religious services while others slept in. After that the day was free so the usual two boys went patch trading and did a lot more shooting. The rest of the day was really chill and it ended with a HUGE fireworks show with the grand finale (probably costing more than the whole Red Wings season fireworks). Monday was curriculum day - which we went to a certain area for a block time to do stuff like: Matt, Nick, John, Luke, and Dave going shotgunnin' and Danny going fly fishing while earning both the merit badges. Davis went ziplining, and Tyler did Mariner’s Adventure. All had soo much fun and have a lot of stories for back home. Tuesday was the hike to the summit which it was a 5.4 mile hike up a mountain and then doing different games like Pioneer games, Highland games, Midway games, Native American dance shows and games (including lacrosse) and the first ever BSA Scout Camp Reenactment. After the hike down we started to pack up our campsite so we can be ready to leave the summit. I’m THE Danny K. signing out from Bechtel Summit Jamboree 2013!
{Day 10} After over 9 hours on the bus, we arrived in one piece back home to Eastview Mall where we were met at the LL Bean Parking Lot by a crowd of onlookers cheering our arrival. Hugs, kisses, family reunions. It was quite spectacular for our families to see us all tanned, hungry and exhausted after being away for 10 days. Channel 10 was there to capture our homecoming! Troop 31 would like to send out a HUGE “THANK YOU” to our Jambo 2013 Correspondent, Danny K., for taking the time to keep us updated on their adventure of a lifetime!