On July 29 at 3 a.m. 10 Boy Scouts, belonging to Troop 184 in Caribou, 8 adults (Scoutmasters and volunteers) and one Girl Scout, (whose brother is a Troop 184 member and whose Mom, a Caribou Girl Scout Leader and Dad, an Institution representative from the Caribou Rotary Club) boarded the green 1992 International school bus — turned Boy Scout transportation — heading out to the National Boy Scout Jamboree to be held at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia.
Troop 184 Scout Master Vaughn Keaton stated that the bus was filled with camping gear for 19 people along with other necessary supplies, 11 Scouts and eight leaders/volunteers and the weather was hot — plus there was no air-conditioning in the bus.
“We made out just fine, the only problem we had on our way down was when traveling up-hill the bus would overheat — as long as the road was level there wasn’t a problem.” The problem was determined to be a bad clutch fan which was replaced later in the trip — fortunately by mechanics, who ended up using several tools and a sledge hammer to remove the original fan, “We never would have been able to get that fan off by ourselves,” said Keaton laughing.
John Powers, Scout committee chairman, traveling with the group, determined the problem, contacted a source back here in Caribou, allowing him to relay the serial numbers, etc. necessary to secure a new clutch fan.
Troop 184, heading for the National Jamboree, had a full itinerary planned, filling the days until they returned home on Aug. 8.
The first night’s lodging for the group was at Wells State Park in Massachusetts, where they spent one night before moving on to what would be their base camp at Aquia Pines Camp Resort, in Stafford, Va. on Aug. 30.
On Aug.t 31, the group spent the day at the National Boy Scout jamboree held at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. Where they were among the estimated 45,000 Boy Scouts, leaders, staff and volunteers, representing all 50 states and 26 countries, who participated in the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America Organization.
“We were standing in front of the Trading Post at the Jamboree (waiting in line for about one and one half hours),” said Keaton, “and in front of us, we saw more Troop 184 patches — it was a troop with the same number as ours from Pennsylvania. Not only that,” added the local Scoutmaster, “the next day while were touring the Marine Corp Museum, I was waiting for some of our Scouts to finish up and I noticed a lady some distance away who kept staring at me, she came over and was looking right at my cap, then she motioned for someone to come over to us — it was the Scoutmaster from another Troop 184 — this one from South Jersey.”
Proven time and time again that history does indeed repeat itself, Keaton spoke of the time he took his Troop to the National Jamboree in 1989. “We had 24 Troop 184 Scouts with us that year,” stated Keaton. “We were at the actual Jamboree, sitting amongst thousands of other Scouts, when Dave Belyea, who is the assistant Scoutmaster, was counting to make sure all the Caribou Scouts were where they needed to be said, ‘Gee, Vaughn, we’ve got a problem — I’m counting 28 not 24.’ So I counted and I also kept counting 28 184 patches,” added Keaton. “Finally, I asked one of the extra Scouts, ‘where is your Scoutmaster? It was then we were introduced to the Troop 184 Scoutmaster — not from Aroostook County but from New York. What are the odds that we would find ourselves sitting next to a troop with the same number, not once but twice?”
The local Boy Scout Troop covered many miles traveling from Caribou to Fort A.P. Hill but they also walked great distances as they spent time touring Washington, D.C. and the Historical Trails in Gettysburg. Some of these landmarks the Scouts were able to visit included the 20th Maine Regiment Civil War Monument; the 19th Maine Regiment Monument in Gettysburg; the U.S. Capitol, which they toured and met briefly with Sen. Susan Collins; the National Boy Scouts of America Monument in Washington, D.
C. as well as the Iwo Jima Marine Monument in Arlington Cemetery.
Other sites the Caribou Scouting contingency visited including the Light Museum in Gettysburg, the Johnny Reb Trail, the Yankee Trail, Eisenhower Trail and the Lincoln Trail. As a result of this trip and the history they learned about and experienced, these Scouts fulfilled the requirements for their historical trails badges.
“Through fund-raising events, our Scouts raised the necessary $10,000 to take this trip,” said Keaton. “Everything worked out great and I have to believe everyone was glad they were able to go, even if it was a very long road trip.”
Keaton also remarked about how history is apt to repeat its self as he told the Boy Scout story of how, sometime prior to 1910, J.D. Boyce was in England and while standing at a street corner, having lost his way, the night being extremely foggy, a young boy appeared and told him where he needed to go. Boyce offered to give the boy some money for his assistance and the young man replied, ‘No thank you, I must do a good turn daily,’ disappearing into the foggy night. Boyce took this concept back to the United States, hence the foundation of the Boy Scouts.
In telling this story, Keaton compared it to something that happened to Troop 184. “We were coming up on a toll plaza in New York, traveling in our bus with our Boy Scout Troop number 184 displayed on it. John Powers, who was driving, noticed an SUV with its blinker on in the lane next to us, the driver was obviously trying to maneuver into a land that accepted cash, so John let the guy move in ahead of us.
The driver of the vehicle acknowledged this act with a thumbs-up. When we got to the gate, ready to pay our $12 toll the attendant said that we were all set — the gentleman ahead of us in the SUV had paid our toll — and just like the young boy who disappeared into the foggy England night, this driver had disappeared down the road, mixing in with all the other traffic, we never saw him again.”
Those traveling to the National Jamboree included: Keith Draper, James Steward Doucette, Alex Murchison, Kyle Tibbetts, Marc Sturzl, Andrew Wasson, Danny Powers, Nolan Powers, Dustin DeMerchant, Ben Poitras and Shara Draper. Also Vaughn Keaton, Troop 184 Scoutmaster; David Belyea, assistant Scoutmaster; John Powers, committee chairman; Kirk Tibbetts, and Tim Sturzl, committee members; Rick Wasson, assistant Scoutmaster; Mark Draper, Institutional Representative of the Caribou Rotary Club which sponsors the Boy Scout organization; and Claudette Draper, Caribou Girl Scout Leader.
