Jamboree On The Trail – May 8th
Jamboree On The Trail (JOTT) is an annual day for the World Scout Movement to hike together. All Scouts, whatever their age and wherever they may be in the world, are invited to participate in whatever way they can. Cubs and younger Scouting sections could visit a local nature trail as part of a weekend camp. A Scout Troop might check out a hiking trail while working on badge requirements. A Venturing Crew might make a Service Project out of restoring or maintaining a hiking trail.
In their own way, everyone will be hiking the same direction: towards a better future through Scouting. JOTT is held on the second Saturday of May each year.
Register your Den, Patrol, Unit, District or Council for a traditional in-person group hike or doing a social distanced hike with your family. https://jamboreeonthetrail.org/
History
JOTT started with a Canadian Scout Troop who hiked part of the Trans Canada Trail in 1997. This lead to the idea of a Scout hiking day for all sections and on any trail. Further discussion set the date for the first event as April 25, 1998; late enough that those in the Northern parts were likely to have trails free of snow on which to walk.
Reading list messages about the idea, UK Scouters began to wish that he could take part in this too. It then occurred to them that this needn’t be limited to the shores of Canada as there are trails to walk on all over the world. Scouters quickly agreed that this could be a world-wide event.
Now that the event was born, they discussed what to call it. For a while it was going to be World Wide Walk because it had been started through discussions on the World Wide Web. In the end, they decided on Jamboree On The Trail (JOTT).
The inaugural JOTT had over twenty-four thousand participants in seventeen countries around the world. From this beginning, Jamboree On The Trail has grown. JOTT 1999 had thirty thousand participants and JOTT 2000 was bigger still.
Jamboree On The Trail is the only international annual event for every member of the Scouting family; Scouts of all ages and all sorts. It is an ideal opportunity to come together in spirit with Scouts all over the world and to promote the world-wide aspect of this growing Movement.
Inspired by Troop 2000 in Coralville, Iowa (highlighted in a recent issue of Boy’s Life), Troop 440 scouts hosted their own cardboard campout in early March at the Izaak Walton League of America- Lois Green Sligo chapter. With advice from Troop 2000’s SPL and Scoutmaster who “zoomed” in to a troop meeting prior to the campout, T440 spent two nights in their individually designed and self-built cardboard structures.
Test out your troop or crew member’s navigation skills at the 16th NCAC Annual Scout Orienteering meet on Saturday, May 1st. Over 45 orienteering controls will be placed at Prince William Forest for troop teams of 10 scouts (5 pairs buddy system) to identify in 90 minutes. Each orienteering control has a different point value based on the difficulty level and distance from the starting point.
Hurry to sign up for family activities at Spring Bullseye Family Camping weekends at Camp Snyder! The first weekend of April 23-25 is rapidly approaching and appointments for program activities are filling up fast!
Check out the merit badges being offered at Camp Snyder this summer during July 18-24 for Scouts BSA Merit Badge Week!
