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Cost for Jamboree - is this reasonable?


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Respectfully disagree. The cost is $975 for the week. That's what the councils are billed. As @@Snow Owl pointed out most of the costs for sightseeing in DC is free, though Lord knows the food is expe

Our troop is in California. I inquired at the Council level about their plans for sending a contingent to Jamboree. They tell me the cost is going to be $3,500. The cost includes an east coast tour of

I've researched further and now I'm thinking that maybe $3,500 is a bargain. Los Angeles charges $4,800 to $6,000 depending on which added tour you want to attend, Oregon is $3,500, which also include

My oldest went to 2010 National Jamboree.  He paid $500 because he got the spot when someone backed out, and council kept most of their money and sold the spot to my son.  He had like a month to get ready. 

 

His favorite part was the pre-Jamboree tour around all the historical sights DC, NY, Boston the whole shebang, motor coach, all meals and hotel stays.  He was sick for all of Jamboree, and nobody would buy the kid cold medicine so he was miserable the whole time.

 

My youngest would like to do the tour, but didn't really want to do the Jamboree part.  But I think it's $3500 and that's undoable.

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...

Nat Jam at Heritage?

 

Heritage Reservation was at capacity with 5000 for Mountainfest weekend. I'd hate to see it pressed upon for an entire week with 6-10 times the numbers. For those flying in, it might as well be Beckly.
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  • 10 months later...

Reviving an oldie here, hope no one minds...

 

Got a question that comes to mind after reading through this thread: Why do so many councils bundle the Jamboree with other tours and/or activities? With all of the hyped up adventure you see in the Jambo promo videos, one would think that a week at Summit should be more than enough fun. 

 

I think I know what the answer is. I'm just hoping maybe someone can give me hope that it's somehow worth it without the added tours.

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Reviving an oldie here, hope no one minds...

 

Got a question that comes to mind after reading through this thread: Why do so many councils bundle the Jamboree with other tours and/or activities? With all of the hyped up adventure you see in the Jambo promo videos, one would think that a week at Summit should be more than enough fun. 

 

I think I know what the answer is. I'm just hoping maybe someone can give me hope that it's somehow worth it without the added tours.

 

I went in 1977. Rained for a week. I would say it was okay, might have changed my mind had it been sunny.

 

For the money spent now a days, I am not sure I would go. I'd rather get away from the crowds and get out to nature. A trip to Alaska, Wyoming, Colorado or Phiilmont would be more my speed. See nature, do fun stuff and have an adventure.

 

Jambo was crowds, waiting, etc. If you are going just to say you went, then great. If you are going and expecting a life-changing event I think you will be disappointed. I was but you may not be.

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Reviving an oldie here, hope no one minds...

 

Got a question that comes to mind after reading through this thread: Why do so many councils bundle the Jamboree with other tours and/or activities? With all of the hyped up adventure you see in the Jambo promo videos, one would think that a week at Summit should be more than enough fun. 

 

I think I know what the answer is. I'm just hoping maybe someone can give me hope that it's somehow worth it without the added tours.

I can't speak for every council, I'm on my council's Jambo Committee, and we finally did away with the extra tours and events for 2013.  Didn't even discuss it for this one.  As much as anything it was a case of "we always did it that way."

 

It wouldn't shock me if it started in many councils with the thought, "the scouts may never get another chance to see ..." and has simply always been the default assumption, but with the amount of traveling that is common today compared to even a couple decades ago that's simply a bad assumption.  As with many things, changing takes more effort than letting the status quo remain.  

 

One other factor at play may be that the folks planning a Council's Jamboree participation are not the families actually participating in the Jamboree.  So at best there is guessing about what most of the participants would want to do (and want to spend) without any actual collection of data about how those folks would like to structure their participation. 

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The drop in enthusiasm for side trips might be money, but it might be a sentiment like "My folks are gonna drag me - or I'm gonna go - to a march on Washington someday anyway. So why bother now?"

 

Also, more kids are post-modern nomads anyway. (Heck, you can't even pile in the back of the station wagon for a wrestling match anymore.) So, more time on the road does not impress them.

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The drop in enthusiasm for side trips might be money, but it might be a sentiment like "My folks are gonna drag me - or I'm gonna go - to a march on Washington someday anyway. So why bother now?"

 

Also, more kids are post-modern nomads anyway. (Heck, you can't even pile in the back of the station wagon for a wrestling match anymore.) So, more time on the road does not impress them.

Good point. The group discount at National parks and other government stops for BSA troops used to be substantial even free. I hear the candidate for Secretary of Interior is an Eagle Scout, hmmmm.

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My dad was cleaning out the basement and found his records (files) from 1977 (seriously, he keeps everything). He found the fee for Jamboree 1977 at More Rain State Park. It cost $200 (DC to PA).

 

The NCAC website has the cost of the 2017 Jamboree as being $1250. That a cumulative inflation rate of over 290%.

 

Totally agree on the cost of Jambo. We can outfit a crew to do the AT for the cost of one kid to go to Jambo.

 

$1250 is a deal.  Add another thousand or more for our council.  Plus four sets of full uniforms.  Plus ... plus ... plus ... plus ...

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A uniform isn't required for Scouting, but it is for Jamboree?  Multiple uniforms at that?  With all the extra neckers, t-shirts, flags, large duffle bag, small duffle bag, backpack (all with special screen printing, stoves, tents, flies, etc. it all makes one wonder if this if for the boys or just a big promotional media event.

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A uniform isn't required for Scouting, but it is for Jamboree?  Multiple uniforms at that?  With all the extra neckers, t-shirts, flags, large duffle bag, small duffle bag, backpack (all with special screen printing, stoves, tents, flies, etc. it all makes one wonder if this if for the boys or just a big promotional media event.

 

 

I've been wondering that as well. Actually I have no doubt it's a promotional event to some extent. I just wonder if it's more promotional than I previously believed. Four uniforms says to me that they're nitpicking every detail of this thing. It has to be more about presentation than anything else. Kids don't really need more than 2. I never had more than one uniform shirt as a kid and kept it presentable through a week of summer camp every year. Didn't get a 2nd uniform until I was an adult.  

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I've been wondering that as well. Actually I have no doubt it's a promotional event to some extent. I just wonder if it's more promotional than I previously believed. Four uniforms says to me that they're nitpicking every detail of this thing. It has to be more about presentation than anything else. Kids don't really need more than 2. I never had more than one uniform shirt as a kid and kept it presentable through a week of summer camp every year. Didn't get a 2nd uniform until I was an adult.  

 

Wow, 4?  My son's jamboree troop has said they require one jamboree troop uniform and they recommend another as there are many times where uniform wear is the norm.  I suppose if you don't mind wearing a dirty uniform, one would do. I'll probably get him two.  They'll get used.

 

Overall comments on the cost.  It costs what it costs.  I think that some councils are less thrifty than others, and some have a much more expensive transportation expense.  If the council fills its contingent, the price is probably right.  The jamboree fee itself, $950 or so, is paying for a unique scouting experience, the rest is transportation and their council overhead.  The NCAC cost of $1250 was cited, that is what my son paid.  Fundraising started even before we knew what the council would charge but the $1250 was earned in a little over 9 months with a combination of popcorn, camp cards, fair parking, and a golf tournament.  it is not an impossible amount.

 

I'm looking forward to being on staff as well, and I've paid $850 for the privilege.  I think that is kind of high, but it is one of the ways I want to serve our youth, so, I pay it.  Fortunately, I can drive there, will probably car pool with other staffers from the area and write off the 600 or so miles for the round trip at $0.14 per mile. 

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