What I Did This Weekend

I posted this to one of my Scouting e-lists. Cool event.

The Rio Grande Council resurrected their International Camporee at Camp Perry this past weekend and over 100 Scouts from Mexico joined with 200 Scouts from the US. The friendly competition included shotgun, rifle, archery, COPE, knots, canoeing, pioneering, etc. Scouts from both countries were mixed together to form patrols. The boys from the US had their eyes opened by the Scouts from Mexico. Both the girls and boys participating brought some real Scout skills to the event.

 

My favorite moment, was during the closing campfire, the Mexico Scouts performed one of my favorite skits. I involves a short song with a dance and at the end they go into the crowd and grab Scouts from other units and they dance and sing again. They do this a few times until much of the front rows are on stage and dancing. Seeing the brightly colored Scouts from Mexico, smiling and grabbing fellow WOSM members and then the bigger group dancing brought a tear to my eyes.

 

Sadly, the International Commissioner from Mexico reported that in his efforts to promote International events, he has found that it is easier to encourage Scouts from throughout South America to attend Mexico events than BSA members.

 

And as always, visiting with my friend T.W. Cook from Austin was a treat. Watching their Crew member Cassy jump in, make friends, and co-MC the campfire was another lesson in how Scouting builds bridges. In Scouting we truly have friends worldwide.