“A Shining Light Across America” Celebrates 100 Years of Scouting
Record numbers gathered in Fort AP Hill, Va., to watch the spectacular Centennial Celebration show. It was the best ever at a national Scout jamboree with the largest fireworks display ever to be staged on a military post.
The show included a message from the 44th President of the United States – and the Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America – Barack Obama, a presentation from Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca, a return appearance from Eagle Scouts Alex Boylan, winner of CBS’s The Amazing Race and Burton Roberts from CBS’s Survivor, a performance by the popular band Switchfoot and an appearance by Mike Rowe from Discover Channel’s popular television program Dirty Jobs.
Many more gathered in venues large and small across the country to watch the first ever broadcast of a jamboree arena show made possible by the special 100th anniversary celebration program, “A Shining Light Across America.”
From Times Square in New York to the Crazy Horse Memorial in Rapid City, S.D., nearly 150 participating councils, districts and units held more than 200 local viewing events across the country. The local celebrations were as diverse and distinctive as their locales – each truly shining a light on the unique personality and culture of the council and its Scouts.
A total of five councils from across the country landed a spot in the show: Greater New York Councils (New York, NY); Black Hills Area Council (Rapid City, SD); Anthony Wayne Area Council (Fort Wayne, Ind.); North Florida Council (Jacksonville, Fla.); and Occoneechee Council (Raleigh, NC).
The show was broadcast nationwide via satellite, and thousands more were able to tune in online at www.ustream.tv/shininglight. BYU-TV, available in most basic cable and satellite television packages, also broadcast the event and streamed it live over its Web site, www.byutv.org.
Did you miss it? Never fear. Visit www.ustream.tv/shininglight to watch the archived videos from the broadcast under the Videos section, or tune in to BYU-TV’s rebroadcast of the show at 9:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Aug. 3 and at 7 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 7.
“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all who joined us for ‘A Shining Light Across America,’” said Bob Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive, Boy Scouts of America. “It truly was an awe-inspiring event that allowed us to gather together to shine a light on our rich heritage, our core values, our role in shaping America’s youth, and the launch of our second century of service!”