Jersey
Shore Council, Boy Scouts of America
1518 Ridgeway Road
, Toms River, NJ08755 ________________________________________________
Contact: Craig Shelley, Scout Executive
Phone: 732-349-1037
Fax: 732-349-8093
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jersey
Shore Boy Scouts Partner with New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection, Prepare for IslandBeach Camporee
(TomsRiver, NJ, September 12, 2008) – Nearly 1,500 Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts from across New Jersey, along with their adult leaders, will meet at Island Beach State Park September 19 – 21 for the first ever Jersey Shore - DEP Camporee. Camping on the beach, conservation projects, interactive exhibits, merit badge workshops and an evening campfire round out the planned activities for the weekend.
More than 50 volunteers from within and outside Scouting have worked hard for the past year to make this event possible, building on the success of the highly publicized NJ State Police Camporee, which was held for the second time in October 2007. “We gathered the best and most dedicated individuals to plan this Camporee,” said Craig Shelley, Jersey Shore Council Scout Executive. “The program promises to be exciting and educational, as we focus on the importance of the diverse ecosystem of coastal New Jersey. The support of the NJ DEP has been exceptional.”
New Jersey Scouts will be assisting the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in its goals to improve, beautify and protect one New Jersey’s more significant natural jewels. The DEP will provide all of the supplies and equipment necessary to accomplish these goals. Scouts will perform three major conservation projects -- cleaning up and cataloging trash along one mile of beach in the park, collecting trash from the BarnegatBay side of the island for a stretch of 1.2 miles, and general parking lot clean ups – and will take place throughout the day on Saturday. In addition to work, there will be plenty of time for fun.
“We are pleased to welcome a number of exhibitors who will introduce our scouts to their exciting hobbies and specialties. Scouts will meet representatives from the US Sportsman Alliance, Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs, NJ State Park Police, Navesink Retriever’s Club and Salt Water Fisherman. Scouts will also enjoy BB and archery shooting, a fishing tournament and a treasure hunt. We hope to inspire our Scouts to become more involved in conservation efforts and to truly appreciate the natural wealth of New Jersey,” Shelley said.
Boy Scouts may also choose to work on any of four merit badges offered. The badges reinforce the nature and conservation theme and make the most of the park’s location. Soil & Water Conservation, Oceanography, Fishing and Fish & Wildlife Management will be offered by volunteer counselors with special expertise in the areas.
“Having the opportunity to camp on the beach is sure to be a highlight of the weekend,” said Shelley. “We’ll practice Leave No Trace camping, which means our goal is to ensure there is no human footprint on the area when we leave.”
The program begins with registration at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 19. Conservation projects will be completed from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 20. Exhibits and merit badge classes will be open throughout the day on Saturday. The weekend concludes on Sunday, September 21 following an all-faith religious service.
The Jersey Shore Council, Boy Scouts of America is a BSA nationally recognized Quality Council, with Scout Service Centers in TomsRiver and EggHarborTownship, and serves 15,000 youth and adult volunteers in Ocean and AtlanticCounties, parts of BurlingtonCounty and Cape MayCounty. To learn more about Scouting at the JerseyShore, visit www.jerseyshore-bsa.org
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