1,200 Attend "Friends in Christ" Camporee

By Celeste Ryan Blyden
Photos by Celeste Ryan Blyden and Mathew Karmel

Just before school started last month, 1,200 members from across the Columbia Union made their way to Front Royal, Va., for the first unionwide Pathfinder camporee in five years. Despite the brutal heat each day, the dangerous thunderstorm one night that struck a Pathfinder leader, and the fact that there was no running water for showers or bathrooms, they pitched their pup tents, proudly hung their club signs, and took care of business in electric blue Porta Potties. 

During the four-day event, they worshipped together under the open sky, enjoyed numerous activities like mountain boarding and the obstacle course, and focused on earning as many honor badges as possible. “One of the key components of this camporee is helping the Pathfinders earn honor badges,” explained Pennsylvania Conference Pathfinder coordinator Pam Scheib, who co-coordinated the event with Allegheny East Conference (AEC) executive Pathfinder coordinator Dennis Moore. “They had 37 different honors to choose from.” 

Read the rest of this story in your September Visitor and watch the Visitor News Video coming September 1.