WHAT IS JAMBOREE ON THE TRAIL (JOTT)?
This is an Annual Hiking and Walking Event that all Scouts and Scouters of Dens, Packs, Patrols, Troops, Explorer Posts, Venture Crews, O.A. Lodges, Rover Scouts, Districts and Councils can do, no matter what Scouting organization you belong to. It's an event where everyone hits the trails on the same day all over the world. It can be organized by volunteer Scout leaders anywhere. To make it a world wide event all we have to do is hold it on the same day and share our news and stories with others. The Annual JOTT is always held on the SECOND SATURDAY in MAY. So mark your calendar and start planning for it now!JOTT was started by a Canadian Scouter named Dave Wiebe of the 40th St. Catharines Scouts of Scouts Canada. Dave posted his idea about having a national hike day to an E-mail group called "Scoutscan" (which is a listserv). Later Dave came up with the idea of calling it Jamboree on The Trail (JOTT). Well, you know how the world wide web works, before they knew it the news spread around the world and Scouts and Scouters from everywhere want to do it too. The news spread all over Canada, down to the USA, crossed the ocean to the UK and every other country. JOTT wasn't sanctioned by Scouts Canada, BSA or any other national scouting organization. It was just one man's idea that he shared, and that grew and spread through the interest of volunteer Scout leaders who organized their own JOTT's. The JOTT leaders became known as "Hike Chiefs".
The first JOTT was held in 1998 and had 19,000 Canadian Scouting members on the trails; an additional 6,000 Scouting members participated in the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. For a total of 25,000 members of the World Brotherhood of Scouting participated at the first "Jamboree On The Trail" all by taking to the trails in their own countries. In 2001 over 30,000 people participated in the fourth JOTT. The numbers keep growing each year and it's all because of one Scout or Scouter telling another one about it. It is also a co-ed event so Brownies, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides can do it too. So start planning your JOTT today!
WHEN WILL THE NEXT JOTT BE HELD?
The Annual World Wide JOTT is held on the SECOND Saturday in May each year.
HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE A JOTT?
Everyone can participate in the JOTT because there is no minimum distance to walk or hike. Each JOTT is organized on a local basis by volunteer Scout leaders and should match the capabilities and needs of those taking part in your JOTT.
You decide what the actual details of your JOTT will be and organize it yourself or with your Scout Unit (Pack/Troop/District/Council) Committee. The only thing that would be the same for everyone is the date you hold the event.
There need be no cost to participants, unless you want to charge a little to cover the cost of award badges (patches and pins), your program materials or you want to make it a fund raiser. It's all up to you, how you organize it.
Any BSA unit (Pack, Troop, Crew or Post) doing JOTT should file a "Tour Permit" with their council and follow all the rules we use for any type of event, practicing safe Scouting, such as getting signed permission slips from parents, having a minimum of two deep leadership, etc...
JOTT PROGRAM SUGGESTIONS
Here's a few suggestions to help everyone get started:
JOTT AWARD CRESTS (aka badges/patches)
Click on any image to see a larger one.
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The 12th Annual JOTT will be held Saturday, May 9, 2009.
JOTT WEB SITE LINKS
WHO DO YOU CONTACT AND WHERE TO GET AWARDS?
For further JOTT information, or to purchase JOTT award crests/badges (patches), or if you would like to help organize a JOTT, please contact one of the JOTT Coordinators listed below:
| Canada - Founder of JOTT & Hike Chief
Dave Wiebe 303-6105 McLeod Road Niagara Falls, Ontario L2G 3E7 Canada E-mail: hikechief@jott.org |
| Canada - Atlantic Coordinator
Keith Barr 340 Wetmore Road Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5L5 Canada E-mail: canada-atlantic@jott.org |
| Canada - Central and Western Coordinator
Michael Holla 9 Catherine Street St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 5E4 Canada E-mail: canada-west@jott.org |
| Australia Coordinator
Peter Thomas 29 Muir Close Isabella Plains, ACT 2905 Australia E-mail: australia@jott.org TEL: 61-2-6291-9553 |
| United Kingdom Coordinator
Kevin Thomson E-mail: uk@jott.org |
| United States of America Coordinator:
Joe Kotch 17600 Kohlhoss Road Poolesville, MD 20837 E-mail: usa@jott.org TEL: 1-301-349-5150 |
| JOTT WEBMASTER
Liam Morland E-mail: webmaster@jott.org or Liam@Morland.ca |
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Last Revised 03-28-09
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