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Summit County Boy Scouts on their way to World Scout Jamboree

At 17, Lance Burrell considers himself among the oldest Boy Scouts from Summit County who will be going to the World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia over the summer.

Burrell, along with 35 other scouts from Summit County, will be joining roughly 60,000 scouts between the ages of 14 and 17 from across the world. The World Scout Jamboree is scheduled to take place between July 22 and Aug. 2.

The South Summit teen considers the opportunity to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.



“I hope to meet a lot of new people and experience a little bit more of a cultural change than what I have gotten to know in Utah,” he said.

The World Scout Jamboree is a co-ed event that takes place every four years in different locations throughout the world. The last time the event was in the United States was in 1963, said Tal Adair, scout advisor. Adair, along with three other adults, will be responsible for taking the group from Summit County to West Virginia.



“It really is an incredible opportunity,” he said. “The boys that go, they don’t come back the same. They come back as young men with a changed perspective. It’s a wonderful opportunity for these young men and that is why I wanted to step up and become involved.”

Summit County’s Boy Scouts will join 8,000 other boys and girls from the United States to welcome the rest of the scouts when they arrive in West Virginia. For 12 days, the scouts will participate in high-adventure activities such as zip lining, mountain biking, water rafting and paddle boarding. Other cultural activities will also take place.

“This is an opportunity that is really something different than any other Boy Scout camp,” Adair said. “They will get to rub elbows with people from all over the world and from different cultures and backgrounds. It gives our young men an opportunity to get to know other parts of the world and how they function.”

The Boy Scouts from Summit County have to raise $128,000 to go on the trip. That money will cover their flights, transportation, food and other trip expenses. About $66,000 has been raised so far through fundraising and donations.

“We want to make sure the boys do the most they can before they go to mom and dad,” Adair said. “What’s been interesting is the boys have decided what they do and they are totally in charge of the activities. We are just their advisers and help them stay focused on their plan.”

The scouts have helped clean up the University of Utah football stadium after games, held events at the High Star Ranch in Kamas, and performed odd jobs as ways of raising money. The group still needs to raise $62,000 by March 1.

Burrell said the fundraising efforts will make the trip more meaningful to him.

“Knowing that the two weeks that I am going to spend there, I worked for,” he said. “We put in the effort to get ourselves there and that is going to make the experience that much more fun because of the struggle that we had to get there.”

Camden Rose, a 17-year-old scout from Park City, said he has appreciated the leadership experience that he has gained throughout the fundraising process. He is looking forward to that continuing on the trip. Since the event only takes place every four years, Rose emphasized that this is the only chance the scouts will have to attend.

“I am hoping that, on my part, I will continue to be a good leader to my scouts,” he said. “I am hoping that they can grow more and become leaders themselves. I am looking for lots of fun and entertainment. I want these boys to grow and I really want them to succeed and have a great time.”

People interested in providing donations for the trip can contact Adair at 801-201-3601 or send an email to summitworld2019@gmail.com.

Summit County

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