TAPS
Posted on 07/25/2005 6:18:31 PM PDT by SandRat
BOWLING GREEN, Va. -- Four adult Boy Scout leaders were killed Monday afternoon in an electrical accident during the opening day of the organization's 2005 Jamboree.
Jamboree spokesman Gregg Shields said the accident occurred between 4:30 and 5 p.m. while the leaders were setting up camp.
One other leader and a contract worker were injured, and were hospitalized in stable condition, Shields said. No youth Scouts were seriously hurt, he said. He did not say how many might have sustained minor injuries.
Shields did not have additional details about the accident, including the victims' names.
"We have an investigation under way," he said.
More than 40,000 Boy Scouts, leaders and volunteers from around the world are attending the 2005 National Scout Jamboree. The event Monday at the Army's Fort AP Hill, a 76,000-acre Army training base about an hour south of the nation's capital.
The Jamboree runs through Aug. 3 with President Bush scheduled to speak Wednesday evening. Scouts ages 12-18 are to spend 10 days camping in tents and doing activities that include archery, fishing and a GPS-based scavenger hunt.
The Boy Scouts of America have held the event since 1937 with the next gathering set for 2010, the Scouts' 100th anniversary.
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On the Net:
http://www.scouting.org/jamboree
http://www.aphill.army.mil
Easy there. Do not start a flame war
That's all I heard so far.
Prayers for the families and for the Scouting program.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1450365/posts
another article
So sad. Prayers for their families and all Scouts.
Damn...speachless.
They had electricity at a Jamboree?
Good-O on you!
From Gilwell Park WB Troop 1, WE4-11-04 Is ther an OWL in the House??
Absolutely not xzins. This is not the first time scouts or leaders have died at the Jamboree. The units involved may (and probably should) pack up and go home.
But you're talking more than 40,000 scouts and leaders that come literally from around the world. And putting this one on has been no small feat.
I was an exhibitor at the 2001 Jamboree. My organization opted not to this year for various reasons. One of which was security concerns. The scouts and military have been working for years. Literally since 9/11 to make that place secure.
This is tragic. But it's no cause to give up on such a massive undertaking.
Sorry about that Sr Patrol Ldr!
I see it as a sign of respect for life. At the same time, mine would be just one vote from the pastoral side of the house. Other opinions would not be wrong just because they disagreed with mine, imho. I cannot quote scripture to you that requires one or the other, however, there is typically a period of mourning, and I would not go against that period.
A period of mourning undergirds a high regard for the lesson on the sacredness of life, and I, therefore, would have me not change my recommendation.
I also believe it puts the President in a very awkward position. The media, already unfair to the Boy Scouts, could use it to cast the President as insensitive. I will not be surprised if they do.
I do remember one other speech in which the President addressed a tragedy, and then turned to the topic otherwise at hand. I wish I could remember the occasion of that speech.
Thanks for that piece of information. Anything on from what State or Council they were from?
For the Stage for the opening Ceremony.
Sensitive, but wrong!
The proper thing is to cancel the Jamboree after a memorial service is held.
I don't understand your rationale in cancelling the jamboree. As the article says, 40,000 kids are participating who likely worked and saved for this big event. Though it's tragic, I don't think any of the four that died would have wanted it cancelled.
Not in the tents, but sure. This is, afterall at Fort A.P. Hill. And some of the exhibits and shows get pretty elaborate. Remember this is the National Jamboree with some 40,000 participants.
You can't know what this person has been doing with his life since the Scouts. I was in Girl Scouts and have fond memories of those experiences...but I never felt I owed the scouting program any parcticular debt of service. My kids were not inclined to participate in scouting. My service work with children is therefore in different fields...mainly with my church, but also with local charitable concerns and with the schools my kids attend. Let others give back to the Scouts. I'm giving back to my community in other ways they might not. That seems fair. And judging by the number of boxes of cookies still in my freezer, I'd say I'm repaying my debt to the Girl Scouts with interest!
I'm very sorry to hear of this accident....I hope the survivors have a complete recovery.
Oh SandRat! How terrible...MANY prayers for the families and all the kids at the Jamboree...
As those who died did so trying to put on the Jamboree, my guess is that they would want it to go on.
See my #30
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