2017 National Jamboree Participants Contributing More Than 100,000 Hours of Service Toward Community Projects in Nearly Every County Across West Virginia
MOUNT HOPE, West Virginia (July 20, 2017)—During the 2017 National Scout Jamboree, the Boy Scouts of America is participating in the Messengers of Peace Days of Service. In addition to the fun and adventure of the Jamboree, the six service days are opportunities for Scouts to make a meaningful impact on the lives of residents nearly all counties in West Virginia.
The Boy Scouts of America partnered with the Citizens Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Day of Service team to identify more than 200 projects in local communities. While some projects can be completed in one day, others will require multiple days to complete. Over the course of six days, both before and during the Jamboree, Scouts and volunteers will perform service projects in nearly every county across West Virginia.
“The Boy Scouts of America is proud to give back to the state of West Virginia, and we hope these service projects make a lasting impact in the community,” said Matt Myers, National Jamboree Director for the Boy Scouts of America. “We chose the New River Gorge area as the home of the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve for its stellar beauty and natural resources, so we want to contribute to the region and do what we can to keep it a beautiful place to live and visit.”
Service projects range from restoring and preserving historical sites and flood remediation to creating art murals and installing a butterfly garden. Many of the projects are a continuation from 2013 when the BSA hosted the first Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve and committed to preserving and beautifying West Virginia. The CCC estimates that the combined projects will have an economic impact in West Virginia of more than $7 million.
“We would like to express our gratitude to West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice for his leadership and contributions to Boy Scouts of America and the 2017 National Jamboree,” said Mike Surbaugh, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. “We are also appreciative of the Scouts and volunteers who are willing to spend their time at the Jamboree to help the surrounding communities.”
Scouts around the world have been participating in peace-related initiatives for more than 90 years, and in the Messengers of Peace program since it was created by the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 2011. The BSA joined the initiative in 2012 to inspire more young men and women to help Scouting create a better world by solving conflicts in schools, building links between divided communities, teaching peers about health and wellness, and repairing environmental damage.
Approximately 40,000 Scouts, Venturers, volunteers, and staff from across the nation are currently attending the 2017 National Scout Jamboree. During the event, Scouts participate in adventures that reinforce the BSA’s commitment to physical wellness, including nearly six miles of zip line challenge courses, 36 miles of mountain bike trails, and 13 acres of shooting sports, as well as kayaking, rock climbing, bouldering, skateboarding, BMX, and various other activities. The Summit is the permanent home for the National Jamboree, which takes place every four years.
About the Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.®” The Scouting organization is composed of nearly 2.3 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 21 and approximately 960,000 volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories. For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, please visit www.scouting.org.