By Logan JEFFREY

Boy Scouts from around the country attended the 2013 National Scout Jamboree that was held in West Virginia from July 15 to July 24. One of the boys from the Verdugo Hills contingent, Logan Jeffrey, attended the Jamboree and chronicled the event for CV Weekly readers.

On July 8, the Jamboree troop of B418 started out on its adventure via New York. They had to get up as early as 4 a.m. to make it to their flight from LAX between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.

After a tearful goodbye to parents, the troop went through airport security, as they would do many times throughout the tour. After landing in New York, the boys were taken to their bus to begin a week of touring, shopping and buying things at such places as Rockefeller Center. However, they did not have a hotel in the Big Apple; it was across state in New Jersey.

On the second day, the crew went to pay their respects to the victims of 9/11. They also saw the Statue of Liberty during a lively boat tour. After stopping in Central Park, they left for Pennsylvania. There, the troop was astounded by the massive size of a food gallery for dinner.

They saw the Liberty Bell, inside where the Declaration of Independence was signed (and read outside later), then went into a small museum that focused on the history of America and its people.

Afterwards, the troop went to Hershey Park for a fun-filled day of chocolate and infectious (though repetitive) music. Their last stop before “Jambo” was in Washington, D.C., where they did many activities including observing a memorial service for the Space Shuttle Colombia, touring many memorials and museums, (the capitol being one) and, before their last dinner, saw the White House. They toured the parts around it, too, including the WWII and Lincoln memorials.

The next day, they took a long, five-hour trip to the Jamboree where they had a spectacular time.  Wood carving, archery and merit badge midway were a few of the many activities available to the Scouts, along with such high adventure activities as riding a zipline, whitewater rafting, and shooting sports.

The boys are already planning on returning in 2017.

  Logan JEFFREY