Troop 300 Scouts second at Jamboree

From left to right: Elijah Leach, Fredderick Robertson, Brandon Harris, Malcolm Harris, Dominic Isbell-Corradetti, and Isaiah Jones. Submitted photo.

The Eagle Patrol from Troop 300, chartered at Damascus Emmanuel Ministries, East Spencer, won second place out of all of the Rowan County troops participating in a district Spring Camporee in Badin.

The Rowan District of the North Carolina Central Council of the Boy Scouts of America held its Spring Camporee at the Camp John J. Barnhardt Boy Scout Reserve.

During the camporee, Scouts in Rowan County came to shore up their camping and survival skills through troop and patrol competition. This year, the camporee focused on Geocaching for treasure. Each patrol within the troop was given two pages of individual Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, and an electronic GPS instrument. Each coordinate is the location of some type of treasure.

Each troop had to use the coordinates and GPS to find the treasure.

Each treasure carried a number of points. The patrol with the most points after a 71/2 hour hike could win either first, second or third place. In addition, each Scout was required to carry with them a personal first-aid kit, pocket knife, fire starter, compass, food, water, rain poncho, toilet paper and a flashlight.

The members of Eagle Patrol had never been camping before and had been together for just three weeks.

"Boy Scouts teaches young men life skills that regular team sports cannot teach. We teach team survival — a life skill that is useful in all walks of life," said Scoutmaster Pastor Michael King.

Troop 300 is open to all young men ages 11 through 18. The troop meets at 6 p.m. every Friday at the church located at 306 Barbour St.