LEWISTOWN - "Our Flag Was Still There!" is the theme for the upcoming 41st Annual Klondike Derby, to be hosted Saturday by the Juniata Valley Council Boy Scouts of America.
Set to run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Seven Mountains Scout Camp in Centre County, this year's derby will focus on the history of one of America's most forgotten conflicts, the War of 1812, according to a press release from event organizers.
As a nation, America was only a generation old when it met its biggest challenge of the time - a second armed conflict with England. Tensions had been building between the two nations since the defeat of the British in the American Revolution, and what followed would set the course for the future of North America and the world scene as a whole, event organizers said.
The derby will follow the story of the War of 1812 through its major battles and little known points of interest, aiming to increase awareness of the far reaching impact of this early 19th century conflict, organizers said.
One of the derby's highlights includes Education Specialists Greg and Rachel Zabrowski, who will present a program on the War of 1812. Five presentations are scheduled throughout the day, at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., and also at 1 and 2 p.m. The presentations will be held in the camp dining hall and the public is invited to attend. Admission is free, although donations will be accepted.
The Klondike Derby is an annual competition of natural patrols or dens numbering 5 to 12 boys each. The vehicle of the derby is the Alaskan Dog Sled, but in the derby the boys take the place of the dogs. Along the trail, each team stops at several stations to test their scouting skills in solving a particular problem. The stations along the trail are a mix of fun activities, such as the tomahawk throw and skeet shooting, and skill challenges involving activities like cooking and first aid.
There are two competitions within the derby. Scouts who are ages 11-18 and are enrolled in a Scout Troop, Varsity Team or Venture Crew compete in the Iditarod Division, named after the famous Fairbanks-to-Nome dog sled race in Alaska. Webelos who are ages 9-10 compete in the Malamute Division.
There are 12 stations for the Iditarod Division and nine stations for the Malamute Division. Scoring is based on each team's performance in completing the problem and on how well they work together as a team, organizers said.
Special awards are also given to the participating teams. In the Iditarod Division, these are Best Themed Design Sled and Most Rugged Design Sled; for the Malamute, these are Most Colorful Sled, Most Original Design Sled and Most Likely to Collapse Sled.
Volunteers serving as "Town Mayors" will staff each station, many of them veteran scouters. In addition to adults from several local scout units, a number of local service clubs also are helping to staff the stations this year, including Kiwanis of Juniata County, Lewistown Rotary Club, Chief Logan Lions Club and the Milroy Lions Club. A group of managers and employees from the Allensville, Lewistown and Huntingdon APM Home Centers also will staff a station.
The public also is invited to come and observe the teams as they compete in the derby. Hot dogs, "Yukon" fries, homemade soup and other refreshments will be available for purchase in the camp dining hall, which will also serve as Derby Headquarters for the event.
Scout units from throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland are scheduled to participate in the day's events. The camp is located one mile off of U.S. 322 in Centre County, about midway between Lewistown and State College. From east or west, proceed along U.S. 322 to the top of Seven Mountains, and look for the large Poe Valley State Park signs. Coming from State College it is a left turn to enter; from Lewistown/Harrisburg, a right turn. Follow the access road into the camp, where a parking staff member will give further instructions.
For more information, contact the Juniata Valley Council Boy Scouts of America at 667-9236.
