Nearly 300 Local Boy Scouts Head to National Jamboree in West Virgina

More than 280 local scouts left on charter buses Sunday for the 2013 Boy Scouts Jamboree in Mount Hope, W. Va.

The group was made up of scouts from Westchester and Putnam counties, with troops from as far south as Yonkers and Mount Vernon and as far north as Patterson.

This is the first time a Jamboree is being held at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia, which opened earlier this year. The jamboree, which takes place about once every four years, is expected to draw 40,000 scouts and volunteers from around the world.

“This is the largest contingent that the Westchester/Putnam Council has sent to the National Jamboree in anyone’s recent memory,” said Bill Kelly  Director of Development for the local Boy Scouts of America Council. “I think part of the reason is that it’s a new place and this is the first big event at the Summit, but I also give credit to all of the volunteers that helped put this thing together.”

The Jamboree will feature a number of high-adventure activities such as whitewater rafting, climbing, zip lines and mountain biking. They will also take part in service projects the West Virginia parks department.

Each scout had to raise $1,200 in order to attend.

“They’ll have popcorn sales where they’ll sell water to their friends and family and other small fundraisers,” Kelly said. “These guys have known that their going on this trip for almost a year, so they’ve had time to raise the money.”

Jim Hord, a Dobbs Ferry resident and a Scoutmaster is heading to the Jamboree with his wife, Kim Hurd; and their sons Ben, 17; Blake, 14; and Will, 12.

Hord said the local Council is sending one of the 10 largest groups to this year’s Jamboree.

“This is a real special occasion,” Hord said. “For some of these Scouts, they will only be able to go one time. They’ll be too old by the time the next one comes around or they’ll have missed out on the last one.”

It’s also a special opportunity Hord and his wife. They will be spending their 20th wedding anniversary at the Jamboree.

“We’ll be spending our 20th wedding anniversary in a tent, so that’s good,” Hord said. “If it wasn’t for scouting, we’d probably never see each other. We’ll at least get to be in the same place for our anniversary.”

Ben Hord, who attended the Jamboree in 2010, said he had mixed feeling about his parents tagging along this year.

“At times it will be annoying, because there will be the constant voice there telling me when to brush my teeth or take a shower, but I don’t think it will have a major impact on the fun I’ll have,” Hord said. “I’m hoping they’ll have a fun time during their anniversary, but I’m hoping they’ll celebrate that themselves. I don’t want to have to look at that.”