Arlington site of the NWSC Boy Scouts' 100th anniversary gala

Arlington site of the NWSC Boy Scouts' 100th anniversary

gala

The Northwest Suburban Council (NWSC) Boy Scouts of America will celebrate

the Boy Scouts of America's 100th anniversary on America's 234th birthday, July

4, with a day-long extravaganza at Arlington Park, the largest NWSC event since

their 1993 Camp-O-Rama.

Among the day's highlights will be a parade featuring more than 400 Scouts --

representing Cub packs, Boy Scout troops, Venturing crews and Aquila troops --

that steps off at noon in the Arlington parking lot. The parade will traverse

the homestretch of the racecourse itself and conclude in the winner's circle

where the colors will be presented by an Eagle Color Guard after which special

guest speaker, U.S. Army Retired Sgt. 1st Class Sammy Davis, a Congressional

Medal of Honor recipient for his heroic service under fire during the Vietnam

War, will address the crowd.

Following the opening ceremonies and throughout the afternoon, the Scouts and

non-Scouts will be able to participate in numerous activities including a

"Mayor's Pinewood Derby Challenge" race in Arlington Park's picnic area. In the

International Room, the council's annual Pinewood Derby Championship Race will

be held with over 120 Cub Scout participants. The afternoon outdoor activities

will include an Army display with Humvees and a dog tag making machine; a rope

"monkey" bridge; a pioneering signal tower; leather craft and wood carving

booths; amateur radio and podcasting displays; a rain-gutter regatta; robotics

and First Aid demonstrations; log sawing; a rubber band zip gun range; a science

demonstration; a Civil War era re-enactment booth;; and GPS-geocaching.

"This is truly a once-in-lifetime event," said Carl Laub, the event's

chairman. "Throughout America, scout councils are staging various events during

the year to celebrate the birthday of this truly great youth movement.

"A year and a half ago, our event was a vision and on July 4 it will be a

reality," Laub continued. "And what greater a place than Arlington Park to have

a birthday party? For the past six months, Arlington management has given great

support by working with our committee on a monthly basis to make the event a

success."

The Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910 by W.C. Boyce, a Chicago

publisher, following a London visit with British General Lord Baden Powell, the

founder of the original scouting movement in 1907. Chartered by the U.S.

Congress in 1916, American scouting now includes more than 300 local councils

and a nationwide membership of over 2.9 million youth.

Chartered in 1926, the Northwest Suburban Council, located in Mt. Prospect,

Illinois, serves more than 16,000 youth and 4,000 adult Leaders in 34 northwest

communities. "Scouting On Track" is the first of two NWSC 100th Boy Scouts of

America celebrations. The second public event, "ScoutTrek 2010," will be held in

Busse Woods on September 25.

Advanced tickets for the Northwest Suburban Council Boy Scouts of America

celebration may be obtained by visiting

www.arlingtonpark.com

and clicking on tickets. General admission for adults is $6 online in advance

and $8 at the gate. Children 17 and under are always free.

July 4 is also "Family Day" at Arlington Park, with pony rides and a petting

zoo also part of the afternoon's activities.