The deadline for ordering patches
and T-shirts is Feb. 26? Why so soon?
We want to give our vendors enough time to correctly make all the
patches and T-shirts AND give us enough time to have them all sorted
and packed for the Contingent Campout May 1-2, 2010. The T-shirts
will take awhile longer to do, especially the tie-dye T-shirt.
How much should I spend on Jambo memorabilia like patches
and T-shirts?
Patch trading is a HUGE HUGE activity at Jamboree. If your son
doesn’t seem interested in it now, wait until he gets to Jamboree.
He will become a big fan of trading patches with boys from all over
the United States and the World. Whatever your son takes to trade
will likely never be enough patches. But that’s OK. Each family
should determine what their sons should spend on memorabilia. Look
at your family budget or your son’s budget and figure out what would
be appropriate for him to spend.
Some families only buy $20 worth of patches (which is 10 patches)
and some buy $100 (which is 50 patches) or more worth of patches. It
is your family’s decision. There is no set rule or limit. Remember,
you will get 25 patches as part of your Jamboree fee.
They really trade T-shirts at Jamboree?
Yes they do. Remind your son he must keep his red, white and blue
tie dye T-shirt and his yellow wicking T-shirt. They will be used in
Washington, DC for touring so he must keep these. If he wants to
trade T-shirts with kids, then he will need to buy one or more extra
T-shirts. Or, he can take some of his older camp T-shirts and trade
those if he wants.
How much money should I send to Jamboree with my son?
Again, each family determines what is appropriate for their son to
spend. Only you know how your son spends money. Some kids will spend
every penny they have in their pocket and others will spend only
when they want something. You and your son decide the amount and how
he should spend it.
Your Jamboree Scoutmasters will keep your son’s money in an envelope
with his name on it and dole it out each day in the amount you
specify. That money is locked up in the troop’s lock box the rest of
the time.
For example, Johnny Scout’s parents figured out that Johnny could
spend $10 each day so they gave Johnny’s Jamboree Scoutmaster 14
ten-dollar bills. The Jambo Scoutmaster wrote down on Johnny’s
envelope to hand out $10 each day to Johnny to spend at Jamboree and
in Washington, DC. Jimmy Boy Scout’s parents told his Jamboree
Scoutmasters that Jimmy could have whatever he needed each day but
he had a total amount of $150 to spend. They gave the Jamboree
Scoutmasters a mixture of $5, $10 and $20 bills.
You figure out how much you want your son to spend for the Jamboree
and touring in Washington, DC and let your Jamboree Scoutmaster know
what you decide. Jamboree Scoutmasters cannot make change
so make sure you have the correct amount of daily cash for your son.
Some families send $5 a day, some send $10 a day, some send $25 and
others will send a lump sum for the boy to spend whenever he likes.
It is up to each family to decide how much money they want to send
with their boys.
How will he eat going to and from Jamboree and on tour?
We have allotted money for meals, which is part of the fee you paid
for Jamboree. For example, while going to Jamboree on July 25, the
buses will stop for dinner at a truck stop that has at least five
different food places. The boys will be given $10 to spend on the
food of their choice, whether it’s a sub sandwich, a burger and
fries or pizza. If you think your son will eat more than $10 worth
of food, then you can send some extra money with him. You don’t have
to. $10 usually feeds a large boy.
While in Washington, DC, we have a food service where we stay that
will provide meals and pack sack lunches for the boys, and we will
have a pizza party or buffet another night. All their food costs
will be taken care of. Again, if you want your son to have some
extra spending money for snacks or extra food, just make sure your
Jamboree Scoutmaster knows how much to give out to your scout that
day.
We just got a BSA catalog that has all these Jamboree items
in it. Do we have to buy anything from it?
No, you do not have to buy a single thing from that catalog. It
contains all kinds of Jamboree-related memorabilia items that you
can purchase IF you want some of them. This will be the only
offering of these items. Once Jamboree is over with, all these items
are gone. Some of these items will be at the Trading Posts at the
Jamboree; but not all of them will be out there.
If you want to purchase something from the catalog, do so sooner
rather than later. Once they are out of an item, they don’t restock
it. That’s it. Our local scout shop will not have any of this
merchandise. You can start buying from the Jamboree catalog March 1,
not before.
Boys usually like to purchase their Subcamp patch, which would be
Subcamp 14. Some boys like to buy some of the official Jamboree
T-shirts, the commemorative coins, the key chains and other items
like this. But you don’t have to buy anything from the catalog if
you don’t want to.
We will provide you with two Central Region patches. If you want
more than two, you will have to purchase those from the catalog.
Do we have to buy the official Jamboree baseball hat?
No. Our safari style hat will be the Winnebago Council Contingent’s
official Jamboree hat. However, if you want a souvenir Jamboree hat,
you can buy it from the catalog and wear that too out at Jamboree.
What goes on and comes off the uniform for Jamboree?
Here are items that you will put on the Jamboree uniforms:
Left Sleeve: your Jamboree Council Shoulder Patch, your Jamboree
Troop Numbers, your Jamboree position of responsibility if you have
one (if you don’t, just leave your home troop’s position of
responsibility on), your Trained patch if you have one.
Right Sleeve: U.S. Flag, your Jamboree Patrol patch. If you choose
to, your Central Region Jamboree patch also goes on this sleeve,
under the patrol patch.
Front right side: Above the pocket goes the Jamboree round patch.
Leave enough room in case your son earns activity bars at the
Jamboree to go around this patch. On the pocket will go the Order of
the Arrow Jamboree patch if you want to wear it; otherwise, your
regular OA patch is fine. If you aren’t in OA, then you can put any
of your temporary patches there. Red flannel patch below the pocket.
Front left side: Nothing changes there unless you want to put a
Jamboree ring around the World Crest Patch.
Don’t forget to change your red shoulder loops to the new Centennial
green loops.
When do we get all these Jamboree patches and other gear?
You will receive all your Jamboree patches, T-shirts, and gear at
the Jamboree Contingent Camp out May 1-2, 2010 at Ingawanis Adventure Base.
We will have the parents get the official duffel bag with all the
items inside it. Inside will be a checklist of what your son has
ordered and/or will receive. You can then inventory all the issued
gear and all your purchases. We will then require you to sign the
checklist and verify to us that you have picked up all the issued
gear.
All Jamboree-related bills must be paid in full for you to receive
your gear.
More details about the Contingent gathering and gear pick up will be
coming later.
What about the neckerchief and slide?
Boys will receive their official Jamboree neckerchief at Fort AP
Hill after we enter. Boys will need to provide their own neckerchief
slide.
Will the Order of the Arrow have a Jamboree patch?
Yes, OA will be sending out information about its Jamboree patch to
all members who have paid their dues. Contact your OA leadership if
you have questions. You can find the OA information on the Council
website at: www.winnebagobsa.org.
Will you have a parent meeting at the Contingent Campout?
At the May 1-2 Contingent Gathering, we will have a parent meeting
where you can ask us Jamboree related questions. After you drop off
the boys, we will gather for a parent meeting.
What can you tell me about the t-shirts and hat?
You need to give us your sizes for the T-shirt and measure your head
size for the hat, otherwise we will have to guess.
The tie-dye T-shirt is 100% cotton and it will be hand dyed for us
and washed about 6 times before we receive it. Hence the reason we
are asking for orders by Feb. 26. This T-shirt could shrink about
half a size since it is cotton. Order a larger size if you are
concerned.
The wicking T-shirt is made of performance fabric and will not
shrink. It will wick away moisture and sweat.
The hat is also made from performance fabric and has a sun
protection factor associated with it. It comes in M-L-XL sizes so we
will need a head measurement to order your hat. If you want more
technical specifications on the hat, look up the Outdoor Research
web site and call up their Sombriolet hat.
What kind of food will the boys eat at Jamboree?
Think camp food. Easy to prepare so the boys will have to just
reheat it. PB&J. Cereal. Spaghetti. Apples. Celery. The boys will be
preparing breakfasts and dinners. Their lunches will be sack lunches
that they will get from a kiosk around the Jamboree site. Those
contain a sandwich with either ham, turkey or roast beef, chips,
fruit and vegetables, a cookie.
If your son doesn’t care for camp type foods or is a really big
eater, then there will be other food to purchase. Vendors like Chick
Fillet, Burger King, Pizza Hut and others will have food for boys to
purchase. This might be something to factor in when you decide how
much money to send with your son. There are also vending machines
that dispense pop, water and Gatorades around the Jamboree site.
Can we use debit cards or those gift cards in the Scout Shop
and in the Jambo Catalog?
We don’t have an official answer yet on debit cards, but we think
boys will be able to use them at Jamboree. They take credit cards
out there. You can send boys to Jamboree with the gift cards that
you purchase from the Jamboree catalog and the Scout Shop. Make sure
you know if the card has to be used up by the end of Jamboree or if
it can be brought home and used in the Scout Shop. The vending
machines will only take cash.
Why don’t you seem to know things when I ask questions?
The Winnebago Council Jamboree Co-Chairs, Scoutmasters and Committee
have been so far ahead of the National Jamboree folks that when we
ask questions, National Jamboree doesn’t know the answer yet. We
have to work through their system of volunteers and staffers to get
the answers to your and our questions. Sometimes we can get the
answer that day; other times it may take a month to get answers. But
as soon as we get the information, we pass it along to you, the
Jamboree Scoutmasters and the Jamboree Committee. We also put
information on the Council web site so we can be as up-to-date as
possible. Please be patient. The information is not always available
to us.