Camps Bay scout attends international Jamboree

1st Camps Bay Scout Group Leader, Alex Jochheim and Kelwin Sandeman.

Kelwin Sandeman, a scout at 1st Camps Bay Scout Group, was one of 150 South African scouts who qualified to join the South African Contingent to the 24th World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, USA recently.

Scouts are selected to attend the Jamboree based on their qualifications in character, camping skills, physical and personal fitness, and leadership qualities.

The World Scout Jamboree is held every four years and scouts from around the world, between the ages of 14 and 18, are invited to attend. The Jamboree was hosted jointly by USA, Mexico and Canada in West Virginia, USA.

The South Africans joined about 50 000 scouts from around the world. These scouts come together to experience new adventures and cultures, take part in organised activities and make international friends.

The three-week Jamboree is an educational event that promotes peace and mutual understanding and develops leadership and life skills. The first week was all about bonding with their new patrols and troops as the scouts went sightseeing in New York and Washington.

The scouts stayed at the Alpine Scout Camp outside of New York and visited tourist sites including the Six Flags Theme Park and Washington DC. Then they were off to the Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia. The site is located in rugged mountain country and scouts hiked on average 10km a day between their base camps and took part activities such as mountain biking, scuba diving, rock climbing, white river rafting, archery, zip lining, spartan races, badge and scarf exchanges.

Average temperatures ranged between 14 and 34 degrees Celcius. Scouts had cold showers and had to shop for and cook all their own meals.

If you would like to know more about scouting opportunities or to join 1st Camps Bay Scouts, visit www.1stcampsbay.co.za