Local scouts will be attending the 19th World Scout Jamboree in Chile this December.

Twelve scouts and their leaders will leave Bermuda on Christmas Day to spend two weeks camping with thousands of other scouts in the South American country.

"Every country in the world will be represented. Both girl and boy scouts will be attending the camp which will bring together 24,000 to 28,000 people,'' counsellor-in-training Collin Anderson said.

However, he pointed out that no girl scouts will be going from Bermuda as "we still have girl guides instead of girl scouts''.

This is the first Jamboree to be held in Latin America and will be hosted by the second oldest Scout Association in the world.

The scouts will stay at a huge campsite called Hacienda Picarquin which is located 61 kilometres from the capital of Chile, Santiago.

"The site is excellent. There are mountains in the background, fruit orchards, and a great flat area where we will camp,'' Collin said. "The camp will be divided into three different villages with about 8,000 people in each village and the villages will be further broken down into sub camps.'' Bermuda is grouped with the United Kingdom contingency so the Bermudian youngsters will camp with about 1,200 scouts from the UK.

According to Collin, the highlights of the camp are the opening and closing ceremonies which present the scouts with an Olympic-like ceremony complete with country flags and fireworks.

One of the camp's main feature is a global development village which will have workshops and information centres to help raise awareness on the progress of the developing world, as well as environmental and humanitarian issues.

There will be two overnight hikes and a programme in which the scouts will go and help the surrounding community.

"There will also be some field trips to nearby countries such as Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil,'' Constituency leader Gary Dowling said. "These will be two day trips during which the scouts will help to work toward the countries development.'' He said the scouts will help to build things such as clinics and houses.

Helping with agricultural work such as clearing fields is also part of the programme which encourages a commitment to community service.

"With so many scouts we will be able to get so much accomplished each day,'' Collin added.

He explained that each day the scouts would be divided into modules of six to eight children.

"The children will not stay together as a Bermudian group, rather the modules will let the Bermudian scouts work with children from different countries,'' Collin said. "It fosters leadership skills and responsibility as they have to work as a team.'' In addition to being involved in community service, the scouts will have the chance to participate in numerous sports activities such as archery, pioneering, sailing, and mountain climbing to name a few.

Other fun activities include "challenge valley'' which offers obstacles, mud slides, and other fun activities.

"I hope the scouts will see just how different life is in developing countries as we have a much easier life in Bermuda,'' Mr. Dowling said. "And I hope the experience will help them to know how to prepare for emergencies such as hurricanes as well as helping them to develop into decent community citizens.

"I also hope that they will want to become scout leaders and keep the programme going.'' Collin said it was also important for the scouts to simply have a good time on the trip.

"They will be having a good time. We want them to learn through experiences like this that there are lots of positive things to get involved in,'' he explained. " The possibilities are endless.'' Osea James, who is a 14-year-old scout, said of the trip: "I hope to learn more about the world, it's people, and life in South America''.

Mr. Dowling said he felt that attending such a camp was often a once-in-a life-time experience for boys such as Osea.

"Attending a World Jamboree is the highlight for any boy who has been through four or five years of scouting,'' he added. "On average a boy attends a World Jamboree once in their life time. It is an outstanding event.'' Mr. Dowling said he felt such an experience helped the boys to become acquainted with another culture.

"Kids here a pretty soft,'' he said. "Attending something like this gives them a challenge. They have to live under tents for a week and eat the food whether or not they like it. I hope they become better citizens and leaders in our country.'' Mr. Dowling explained the group has so far been successful with its fund raising drive.

"We have washed trucks and held three dinners so far, and plan to hold other fund raising events in the future,'' he said.

"We plan to have ongoing fund raisers up until the month before we leave, and hope the public takes the chance to support young men in the community.'' Anyone wishing to make a donation can write to: 19th World Jamboree, HMBX 2030 Hamilton.

COLLIN ANDERSON -- Among the leaders accompanying Bermuda scouts to Chile.