CNJ+ October 2023

AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME By Pam Teel

Over 43,000 youth, leaders and volunteers from 150 different countries made their way to the 25th World Scout Jamboree that took place in South Ko rea, the beginning of August of this year. The event didn’t go as smoothly as planned when mother na ture, among other issues came to surface. Matthew McCormick, from Allentown, NJ, was among those scouts looking forward to the Jam boree. On July 27th, he excitedly boarded a plane bound for South Korea along with many oth er scouts. The event was to begin on August 1st. Three days before the event, the troops got to do some sightseeing. They toured temples, saw palaces, hiked, saw the Seoul Tower, and according to Mat thew, ate lots of rice.

were given military meals to eat before being bussed to the Jamboree site on Wednesday. Some of the USA Scout troops found that their planned tents and other necessary gear had not been provided and they spent the first night on the floor and in plastic chairs in a headquarters tent without any food or water provided for them on their first night there. Also, extreme heat prompted many to be treated for heat-related illness. Temperatures reached 105 day and night. No permanent structures were on site but they had green canopies with mist machines to keep them cool. According to the local weather forecast, A typhoon was heading their way.

In an emergency meeting with parents Saturday morning, President, CEO, and 14th Chief Scout Ex ecutive of the Boy Scouts of America, Roger Mosby, announced their decision to pull the USA Contingent from the Jamboree site and return to Camp Hum phreys. Other countries also decided the conditions were to poor and dire for them to stay. Despite oppressive heat, problems with proper food storage, terrible sanita Continued on Page 31 

The first major issue they encountered was that the site they were to camp on had been flooded by two previous weeks of torrential rain, causing flooding and unsanitary conditions, and prompting opening night to be moved to the next day. The USA Contin gent recognized all the problems with the site and partnered with Army Garrison Humphreys to have over 1000 of their scouts spend the first night in a school gymnasium. They

NEED A PLUMBER?...

...GOT LEAKS?

•Baths Remodeled • Gas Piping • Water Heaters •Boilers Repaired & Installed • Video Inspections • Sewer & Drain Cleaning • All types of plumbing repairs JERSEY DRAINS PLUMBING AND HEATING

JERSEY DRAINS

732-610-8295

JEERSEEYDRAIINS@IICLLOUD..COmM •• Miillllstonee,, NJ

FULLY INSURED MPL#10911

26 CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

OCTOBER 2023