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Got A Jamboree Tale To Share? Pick Up A Phone!

If you’ve been to a national Scout jamboree, then you know what a big deal it is.

It probably figures into your memories of Scouting in a major way.

You might have done an activity for the first time and been hooked for life. You might have accomplished something you didn’t think you could. You might have seen a speaker who blew you away.

And then there are all the memories around the jamboree — the trip getting there and the journey back home.

Let’s not forget the friendships you made, either.

Well, if you’ve got a jamboree story to tell, we want to hear it, and we want to share it.

Got an experience that would inspire Scouts and Venturers to sign up for the national jamboree? We’ve created the Fireside Story Project to do just that.

It’s easy:

  1. Just call 786-752-6267 — that’s 786-7-JAMBO-7, so it’s easy to remember.
  2. A greeting will explain to leave your name and your hometown and tell your story.
  3. Try to speak clearly, away from background noise, too.
  4. You might find it helps to write out your story first, and then read it. Don’t be afraid to call back and re-record if you have to.

You can also pre-record your Fireside Story and upload it to the Summit’s SoundCloud channel. We’ll be collecting the best stories and publishing them right here on the Summit Blog.

Here’s an example:

[audio:http://www.SummitBlog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fireside-story-reid-williams.mp3|titles=Example Fireside Story – Reid Williams]

My name is Reid Williams, and I earned my Eagle over 20 years ago as a Scout in Waterville, Ohio, but I never got to attend the national jamboree as a Scout. I did, however, work as jamboree staff at national exhibits at the 2010 jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill. First of all, I was blown away by how much there was to do and to see the spirit of Scouts from all over the U.S., and even from other countries was incredible. But, I think my favorite moment was in the Shining Light arena show, when the lead singer of the rock band Switchfoot left the stage and ran out in the crowd of nearly 100,000 people. To celebrate the Shining Light theme he got all of the Scouts and the rest of the crowd to fire off their camera flashes at the same time and it was like fireworks going off in the crowd and you could see everyone’s smiling and shouting faces, 40,000 Scouts and Venturers and all sorts of other people. It was something to behold. And it was in that moment that I knew you know, wow, this is a really special thing to be a part of Scouting’s largest gathering. So I encourage all the Scouts and Scouters out there to get registered for the first-ever national jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in 2013. I think it’s gonna be something you won’t wanna miss. And that’s my jamboree story.

So, what are you waiting for? Pick up the phone and record your jamboree story!

Do you know someone who has a story? Be sure to let them know about the project and tell them to call — 786-7-JAMBO-7! Normal rates may apply.

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