Participant in 2013 National Jamboree is now site veteran

Jul. 19—Chris Sherman is becoming an old hand when it comes to the goings-on at the Summit Bechtel Reserve.

Sherman is a member of the media team for the National Jamboree 2023, and he said last week he's grown more familiar with his surroundings on the Fayette County complex since he first participated as a Scout in the National Jamboree in Fayette in 2013.

"I came here in 2013 for the National Jamboree," Sherman said as he gave media members a brief tour of the mountaintop site late last week. In 2013, he was 16 and represented Troop 214 from Maryland.

"It was a great time," Sherman recalled. "I met a lot of people. ... I went to the Jamboree (in Virginia) in 2010, so going to the next one in 2013, which was the first one in West Virginia, was a lot of fun. And definitely a different venue, because everything here is purpose-built and is catered specifically to the Jamboree.

"It did rain a lot, but even with the rain, it didn't dampen too many moods. Everybody was having a good time, just having a blast."

That wasn't to be his last activity at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, though. "In 2015, when I turned 18, I got an email (asking) if I wanted to work here for the summer. Because we also operate in the summer time the High Adventure Base and the Scout Camp. I started working here in 2015 and pretty much every summer I've come back. I stayed around for some falls. Here I am again for my fourth Jamboree here at the Summit.

"Home is still Maryland, but I typically stay out here a lot right now when I'm working here."

What has changed over the years?

"I'd say probably one of the bigger changes I've noticed throughout the years is things have gotten a lot more cohesive and smooth with the programs," said Sherman. "In 2013, it was the first year they were running a lot of these programs." For example "it was one of the first times you actually had skate parks for a Scouting event, so that was a big thing."

He said he didn't take advantage of the skateboarding opportunity then, but has since.

"Throughout the years, things (are) getting better and smoother," Sherman said. "Now that we have a summer staff, we have like a good core group of people that know how to run the program and have done it very well for, like, a number of years now. So, once we get into Jamboree we can get up and rolling very quickly and provide a great program to everybody."

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