International Jamborees: 2001 Report USA
2001 – USA National Scout Jamboree
23 July to 1 August / Participants 42 002 / Countries 26 / South Africans 8
The South African contingent consisted of Scoutmaster Peter Meyer, six Scouts and an adult. The selected Scouts were two boys from Ladysmith, Kwa-Zula Natal; three from Bloubergstrand and one from Boksburg. The group left on July 17 to New York for two days sight-seeing. Then travelled to Washington by train for two days, and then on to the Jamboree for 10 days just outside Washington.
The Jamboree was held at Fort A. P. Hill, Caroline County, Virginia, 70 miles south of the first National Scout Jamboree, which took place in 1937 on the Mall in Washington, D. C. The Jamboree theme was "Strong Values, Strong Leaders...Character Counts." The Jamboree was planned for some 30 000 Boy Scouts and Leaders plus another 6 000 staff members, however, there was actually over 42 000 in attendance which resulting in the Jamboree committee having to open up another section to accommodate all the Scouts that wanted to attend this event.
Two arena shows were held, one to open the Jamboree on July 25 and the other to close the Jamboree on July 29. The planned Opening Ceremony visit of President George Bush had to be canceled due to over 12 hours of rain. President Bush sent a short videotaped message. "All across America, Boy Scouts are doing good turns daily," Bush said. "And every time you do a good turn, this becomes a better country." The rain also forced cancellation of Miss America and country singer Louise Mandrell. That left the night's entertainment to the Navy's Atlantic Fleet Rock Band and the Trash Time Band, which drums on various garbage cans, followed by several Scout skits and presentations. The evening's final was a 22 minute fireworks show by Zambelli Fireworks International. For the Closing Ceremony, several music groups played including the "3 of Hearts", a young female country music from Fort Worth, Texas. The trio released its debut album in July right before the Jamboree.
There were Regional Action Centers, a Merit Badge Midway and Outback Centers that featured fishing, aquatics, canoeing, scuba, kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, and sailing. The Merit Badge Midway had close to a hundred booths where the Scouts had an opportunity to practice many skills related to a wide range of merit badges. Many times the staff in the booths were national experts on their subjects. Included in the Midway was the full size model locomotive that Charles Anderson of San Angelo first sent to the Jamboree in 1997.
In addition, there was an Arts and Science Expo, a Brownsea Island Camp, an American Indian Village, daily stage shows, and Disabilities Awareness Trial, Scoutopia and an Outdoor Adventure Place, known as (TOAP). It was impossible for a Scout to participate in everything that was offered at the Jamboree, so they had to pick and choose those activities that interested them the most.