Patty Miller
EDMOND — 3 generations
will participate
in Centennial Camporee
Three generations of the Jossell family will join more than 5,200 Scouts and leaders from across the state as they kick off the 100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts of America at the Centennial Camporee, the largest event in the history of the Last Frontier Council.
Keith Jossell and his two sons, Cub Scout fourth-grader Nathan and Boy Scout ninth-grader Jonathan, will be joined by their grandfather, Leroy Jossell, who is coming from Irving, Texas, for the celebration. The elder Jossell retired in 2001 after 30 years as a professional Scout. He still works as a Docent Scout with the National Boy Scouts of America Museum in Las Colinas, Texas, one day a week.
Both boys attend Christian Heritage Academy. Nathan is a member of Pack 90 that meets at Cheyenne Middle School and Jonathan is member of Troop 479 that meets at the First Christian Church.
“My father was a scoutmaster for a Boy Scout troop as I was growing up, and my mother was Den Leader for my Cub Scout pack when we lived in Mississippi,” Keith Jossell said.
When Jossell’s family moved to New Orleans there was no troop meeting near them. They formed a troop through their church so they could keep participating in scouting.
“This is kind of a falling back into scouting again for me,” Jossell said. “I have seen my love for scouting go back to where it was before when I was younger. For my dad it has been in his blood forever, although I have lived scouting in some respects vicariously through the years.”
Jossell said he earned the rank of Life Scout, the rank just below an Eagle Scout.
He believes character development is one of the important things a young man learns in scouting.
“Everything scouting does is ingrained in the character development of a young man,” Jossell said. “I want my boys to have the opportunity to receive character development in a fun, learning environment promoted by involvement in Boy Scouts.”
He said the Scouts camp out once a month and learn things through scouting that cannot be learned through an Xbox.
“You can also learn life skills that go with you throughout your life,” Jossell said, “skills that will span through generations.
“We live on 5 acres, and Jonathan, who is 11, was helping me move some wood across our property. I asked him to tie a knot for us to drag wood behind the truck. I told him these are the types of things you learn and use today that you will use in your 20s and 30s and on.”
His most memorable Scouting moment was camping on top of a mountain, Keith Jossell said.
“Sleeping on top of the Tooth of Time Mountain at Philmont Scout Ranch (located near the town of Cimarron, N.M.), the National High Adventure Base, is one memory I will never forget,” Jossell said. “There wasn’t a bunch of room, and we just took our backpacks. We slept on the rock, and it was freezing. It got incredibly cold in the night, and my back hurt in the morning.
“We wanted to be able to see the sun rise at that high elevation, and it was all worth it. As we watched the sun coming up over the horizon and the way it changed the color of the sky from purple to violet to pink then orange and then yellow, it was incredible. Even though it only lasted about 20 minutes you knew it was God’s country.”
Jonathan is in his first year of Boy Scouts, and Keith Jossell said he would love to go back to Philmont with his dad and his two boys.
“Although, if I go again I would not sleep on that rock now,” Jossell joked.
Leroy Jossell said working directly with youth in scouting gave him the opportunity to share with them and to help them develop leadership skills that led to them becoming productive citizens.
Both Jonathan and Nathan agreed that it is exciting to go on campouts and learn survival skills. Jonathan has earned his first badge toward his Eagle Scout rank and is working on his second one.
He is looking forward to playing “Taps” this evening at the Camporee.
“We have an abundance of Scout troops in Edmond,” Keith Jossell said. “ I think it speaks to the fact that you have great adult participation with their kids, and that is probably one thing that makes scouting so great in Edmond.”
THE DETAILS
if you go
The Centennial Camporee will be a three-day event on the east side of The Oklahoma Publishing Co. property at Broadway Extension and Britton Road. More than 5,200 Scouts and leaders are expected and all ages will prepare their own meals.
One of the major attractions at the Camporee will be the Living History Area where activities will include Tomahawk Throwing, Dutch Oven Cooking and Flint-n-Steel demonstrations. The Order of the Arrow will be setting up several displays including teepees.
An arena show will take place today celebrating the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America and looking at scouting in the future. The show will include musical performances, ceremonies and a fireworks show. The University of Central Oklahoma marching band will open the show and Oklahoma City University student musicians will be featured. Scouts also will share their talents during the show.
A special tribute is planned for the veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars during the show.
The public can attend as guests all day today to observe scouting programs and this evening to view the arena show activities. The pre-show
