T-Minus 2 Days to opening

July 13, 2013

Busy day today with our team preparing for the arrival of Scouts on Monday.  Much of the day was spent in briefings to understand our role in arrival, troop set-up, logistics, meal distribution and the important program schedules for each of the Scouts who attend.  Early in the afternoon, I was able to get out and about to preview the site.

Jamboree Organization-  There are 5 Base Camps housed throughout the Jamboree.  Within each Base Camp is 5 Sub Camps.  Each Sub Camp is separated by neighborhoods that can house 10 Scout Troops.  Each Scout Troop will have 36 Scouts and 4 leaders.  Our Sub Camp will have 50 Scout Troops- 2,000 Scouts/Leaders.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Members of our team today in a briefing in the Sub Camp's Briefing Tent
We have 19 Staff Members
4 Medical Staff Members
5 Chaplains

Sub Camp A3 Headquarters Tent-  my office along with Sub Camp Chief- Shaw McVeigh
Commissioner- Steve Gamewell and a host of administrative and support team members

Karen Kircher- North Florida Council Executive Board Member  who is working on the daily stage shows for the Jamboree stopped by for a visit.
From left to right- Steve Gamewell, Karen Kircher & Jack Sears

Typical "Cluster of Shower Houses" for each neighborhood.
We have 5 clusters- one for each neighborhood.
There are a total of 15 buildings to be maintained

Neighborhood campsite.  Green area is where tents go.
Tents and Camping/Cooking gear are stored in the pods which are located in the distance

Closer view of the pods which store each Troops Camping/Cooking Gear
as well as Tents

100 bottles of propane gas.  Each Troop will receive 2 bottles for cooking
We will replenish as needed.

It has been a long day and there is much more to do tomorrow.  Stay tuned.  More to follow,

Jamboree Jack

Look who came to dinner

July 12, 2013

Over 6,000 adults and youth who will serve as staff for the Jamboree have arrived on site.  Meals are served in the Camp's Echo Dining Hall.  Our Sub Camp Alpha is a 30 minute bus ride away from Camp Echo.  We will continue to ride the bus for Breakfast and Dinner (staff lunches are picked up during the Breakfast meal) until the opening day of the Jamboree- at that point our team will then rotate eating with the Scout Troops in our Sub Camp.

While at dinner tonight I ran into Wayne Brock- Chief Scout Executive.  Wayne is the highest professional leader of the Boy Scouts of America Movement.  I consider him not only a mentor but friend.  I had the privilege of serving with Wayne as his Director of Field Service (COO) when he was Scout Executive for the Central Florida Council in Orlando, Fl.

There are 2 days until the arrival of the Scouts and the official start of the Jamboree.  All of our Sub Camp Staff have checked in except for 2.  Tomorrow is a full day of planning and briefing.  We are well along in our logistical set up and in less than 48 hours- we will welcome 2,100 Scouts and their leaders to our Sub Camp to begin the Jamboree.

That is it for now, more to follow, Jamboree Jack

Jack Sears &

Chief Scout Executive-Wayne Brock

Camp Echo Dining Hall- feeding 6000 Jamboree Staff

This place is awesome...let's go to the video!

July 11, 2013

Wow!  This place is awesome!  Scouting's newest High Adventure Base is definitely going to live up to the expectations of those who attend.   After I dropped my gear off upon arrival at Alpha Sub Camp- 3, I drove my car 5 miles (still on the Summit) to the storage area for vehicles.  It took me a little over an hour to walk back to the camp (because I did not want to wait on the shuttle).  In the dark, walking the winding and steep roads and trails for the first time brought back so many memories of hiking the trails at Buckskin Scout Reservation in Marlinton, WV (the Boy Scout Camp of my youth).  As I passed the 2 mile mark, I could see the lights in the valley of the Camp.  Nestled in the valley surrounded by Garden Ground Mountain, Mt. Hope and Oak Hill was the Summit.  Like hundreds of stars in the night I could see the lights of 300 plus shower houses, along with the hundreds of supporting tents and buildings as work progressed to ready for the 40,000 Scouting participants to the Jamboree.

During the day after arrival, I was able to take a ride to the Overlook which is located near the car storage area.  Here is a photo and a quick video.

Many of our Sub Camp Volunteer Staff have been arriving today.  We set up the Sub Camp for the 2,000 plus Scouts today and we begin tomorrow in training on program, health & safety, logistics, as well as arrival for opening day.

That is it for now.  More to follow.  Take care.

Jamboree Road Trip

July 9, 2013

Following a 12 hour road trip from Jacksonville, Fl to Mt. Hope, WV we arrived at the Summit.  Traveling with me was our Base Camp Commissioner Steve "Odie" Gamewell.  In true Scout like fashion we made several stops along way.  Besides the usual breaks on a long drive- Odie introduced me to his hobby "Geo caching".  We made 8 cache attempts with 4 finds.  Odie has a goal to find a cache in all 50 states.  We knocked out South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia along the trip.

Here is a picture of Odie.  We found this cache at a rest stop in South Carolina.  It was just off the road in the woods.

Before we checked-in at the Jamboree I took Odie through my home town of Mt. Hope. It was a walk down memory lane- Odie was a good sport.  The town's main street was freshly paved.  Many of the buildings that I remember as a youth have disappeared.  However, it was good to catch a few pics of the following.

Mt. Hope, United Methodist Church.  I sang in the choir and this is where Boy Scout Troop 91 met. 

 This is the house that I grew up in.  205 Bluestone Road.  It doesn't appear that anyone lives there currently as the yard was in much disrepair.

 

Mount Hope High School- home of the Mustangs.  I graduated from here in 1981.  The school closed a couple of years ago.  I understand that contractors from the Summit have been leasing space inside the building.  

It was a long day of travel.  However, it was filled with fun and adventure....and some good memories as well.  When we finally checked into the Summit and called it a night- it was 10 pm.  There is a great story about that process and what happend.....but, I will save it for tomorrow.

Take care folks.  There is more to follow.

Jamboree Jack

The Jamboree Duffle- will it all fit?

Honestly, I did not think that I would feel this anxious and excited about this experience.  Attributing to that feeling is the whole packing and preparation.  This is a new Jamboree concept at at new place.  Everything that you will need must fit in a Jamboree provided duffel bag.  I have watched the you tube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjz9ibsR9xM&noredirect=1)over and over and over---and this 49 year old Scout is struggling!  Thank goodness I can bring a small backpack. Anyone else having challenges packing?  I could use some last minute tips.  Next time you hear from me I will be at the Summit on ground at the Jamboree.  Until then, Good Scouting!

Jamboree Jack

About me and about this Blog

             Jamboree Jack

My name is Jack Sears.  Between July 10-25, 2013 I will be serving as the Director for Alpha 3- Sub Camp during the 2013 Boy Scout Jamboree to be held in my hometown of Mt. Hope, WV.   This event will draw over 40,000 Scouts and leaders to the Boy Scouts of America's newest high adventure Base- The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve or commonly known as the Summit.  

A little about me:  Having graduated from Mt. Hope High School in 1981 I went onto earn a BA in Youth Agency Administration with an American Humanics certification from Salem College, WV.  Since 1985 I have worked for the Boy Scouts of America in leadership roles in Orlando, Fl; Griffin, GA; Hawthorne, NY and currently in Jacksonville, Fl.   As the Scout Executive and CEO of the North Florida Council, BSA it is my privilege to serve 18,000 plus Scouting families and 30,000 plus Learning for Life participants in 17 counties of North Florida.  Our team of 39 employees work with and through a network of 350 faith-based and civic-based organizations to support 6,500 Scouting Volunteers.  The Scouting program is growing and thriving in North Florida and it is my pleasure to be a part of this great organization which teaches youth important leadership, citizenship and community service skills and behaviors.

I have never Blogged before, so this will be new to me.  My goal is to share my experiences at the Jamboree with family, friends, Scouts and Scout Volunteers.   I do hope to show pictures of my beautiful home town and State while capturing the adventure and enthusiasm that Scouting has been for over 100 years and for what it will be for the next 100 years.

Stay tuned!  Check back for my posts under Jamboree Jack!  My plan is to begin posting on July 10.  Feel free to share this link and connect with me on Face Book.  Until next time- Good Scouting!

Jamboree Jack!