Here we are - the day that has been planned for say about 3 years, the day that B218 has been working towards for 12 months, Departure for Mt. Hope, West Virginia
Summit Bechtel Reserve, This is a BRAND NEW High adventure site for the Boy Scouts it will now be the permanent home for all future National Jamborees and home to the next World Scouting Jamboree.
It has everything and any thing you can imagine that is high adventure, Zip Lines, rock climbing, white water rafting, Mountain biking, Shooting, Archery, water sports, ATV, the list goes on and on . . . Both of my boys are there - Yoda for his first at 13 and Slugger his second Jambo at 17 ( sorry they do not like there pictures on the web at all)
Additionally my Husband is on board as an Assistant Scoutmaster and in charge of all things medical for 36 boys and 4 adults. that means Medical forms prior to leaving, ( 3 hard copies each, 3 electronic copies of the whole troop . . . each boy had like 20 pages . . .) passing daily meds, trips to Medical tents . . . .
Many things are different this year, being in a whole new place, The new location is totally wired for technology, each subcamp that holds about 8K kids has its own Cell Tower. This year there are about 40K of youth and 10K of staff all the adults and staff are volunteers and each paid to be there as well as using their own vacation from real world jobs to be there. Yes a city of 50,000 people set up in about 24 hours. The buses arrived at 800 an hour I think they said for 8-12 hours . . . .this is from Alaska to Florida East coast to west Coast . . .it really is pretty amazing when you stop to think about it.
I am proud and moved for all the time and effort my husband has put into this endeavor that these 36 boys under his temporary care can have the time of there lives. He has been texting photos and commentary back to parents which is a real perk. When my older son went 3 years ago, I saw and heard nothing. Biggest issue is usually heat and dehydration. most days are Red Flag and they are supposed to drink a liter of water an hour. Showers are cold but he and my older son say at the end of an exhausting, hot day they feel just right. They have 5 more days before they come home.
One of those will be a Day of Peace and they will be taken off site to a WV location to do community service. 40K youth/adults will each provide 6 hours of service to a WV community - you do the Math, think about the impact that they should leave on WV.
The New River National Gorge Park is what this High Adventure Camp Borders on- check it out!!!
