| The troop had its three-day
Jamboree Shakedown Camp at Camp Billy Gibbons to prepare for their trip
to the National Jamboree at Moraine Park, PA in August 1977. During
the weekend they camped and cooked by patrols and prepared for the various
activities they would participate in at the Jamboree.
The Scouts departed from
Eastland at 7:00 am, July 31, 1977, by chartered Greyhound bus and made
overnight stops at Camp Arrowhead, B.S.A., Springfield, Miss., and Ft.
Benjamin Harrison at Indianapolis. They arrived at the Jamboree, held at
Moraine State Park, near Butler, Penn and participated in the Jamboree
from August 3 - 9, 1977. After the Jamboree the Scouts spent two days in
Washington, D. C. before returning home. At the Jamboree they camped
with some 28,000 other Scouts from all parts of the United States and many
foreign countries. They participated in scouting competitions, a
merit badge midway, in arts and science fair, a county fair where each
troop showed off it particular specialty, attended arena shows and campfires
and had friendship exchange with international and U. S. Scout.
The opening show included
a multi-media presentation, a re-creation of the country's history, a parade
of Scouting, the Re'Generation group of 13 collegians from all over the
United States, Country Current, a country/bluegrass band that was part
of the U. S. Navy Band, and finally the National Jamboree Band.
One of the campwide events
during the Jamboree as a get acquainted game. Each Scout was given
a card with a large letter on one side and space for names and addresses
of his "game" associates on the other side. Scouts ranged across
their regional camp area, linking up with Scouts bearing the different
letters. When a team had formed "THIRD CENTURY USA," the members
wrote the names and addresses of fellow team members on their cards so
they could contact them in the future. Then the team reported to the regional
headquarters, rung a liberty bell, and received a bicentennial souvenir
for each member of the team.
There were heavy rainstorms
on Saturday and the troops in the Western Region received more water than
anyone else. More than 400 Scouts had to be moved to higher ground.
One Scout, Cal D. Armstrong, of Troop 792, Western Region Subcamp 5, was
struck by lighting that Saturday night while running between camps.
He was taken to Jameson Memorial Hospital where he remained for the rest
of the Jamboree.
Burl Ives was a hit at the
closing show. Also in the show was the Air Force Mach 1 rock band,
the National Jamboree Band, and Re'Creation, the University of Pennsylvania
choral group. As at every Jamboree, the show was closed with the
traditional candlelight ceremony and a 3,000 firework show put on by the
Zambelli Fireworks Company. |
