AAPG members who would like to volunteer their services, or simply need additional information, should contact Ron Hart at 1-800-364-2274 (U.S. and Canada only) or 1-918-560-9429 (outside the U.S. and Canada); his e-mail address is .

To Help at Geology Booth

Volunteers Needed For Scout Jamboree

It started on the pastoral fields of England.

Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the world scouting movement, envisioned and then created a large encampment of scouts and leaders, gathered together to celebrate scouting in England. He called it a jamboree.

The idea caught on, and since 1937 the Boy Scouts of America has held a National Scout Jamboree for scouts and leaders of Boy Scout councils throughout the United States.

What does this have to do with AAPG?

For the past two decades, AAPG has had a significant presence at the event via a geology merit badge booth and has provided financial support, seeing the jamborees as a chance to introduce thousands of young people to the world of geology.

That effort continues today - and AAPG members are being sought to help as the scouting world prepares for Jamboree 2001.

Preparations are under way for next year's event - the first National Scout Jamboree of the 21st century - which will be held July 23 - Aug. 1.

More than 30,000 Scouts and leaders - some from outside the United States - will join in the jamboree.

The jamboree program's features reflect the skills of scouting, physical fitness, career exploration, environmental conservation and primers on the true spirit of scouting.

It is in the "career exploration" area that AAPG will play a role - and AAPG members are being sought to help make that effort a success.

Scouts, Geology and AAPG

AAPG and the AAPG Foundation has had a presence at the past several jamborees through the geology merit badge booth. The current effort will be supported financially by the AAPG Foundation, with manpower provided by AAPG volunteers.

"We are seeking AAPG members interested in scouting to volunteer at the merit badge booth during the jamboree," said Ron Hart, coordinator of AAPG's Boy Scout Jamboree Program and member of the AAPG Youth Education Activities Committee.

"We are hoping to recruit volunteers who not only have an interest in scouting, but who are also relatively familiar with the oil industry," he said. "Many volunteers in the past have been AAPG or GSA members who lived in the eastern United States … Some didn't necessarily have petroleum industry experience."

Already, nearly 15 people have expressed interest in volunteering for next year's event, which Hart calls "a good start."

But "more volunteers are needed," he added, "because our goal is to have enough volunteers that no one person will be in the booth alone or without a break."

Being sought are both part-time and full-time volunteers, Hart said. In other words, a volunteer can help any or all of the entire 10-day event.

"We are would like to gain corporate support in the program, (in that) companies and corporations will support their employees to participate in our program by volunteering," he said.

If a company wants to help support the program financially, it should contact the AAPG Foundation.