At the 2019 Chosen International Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Pathfinders raised the flags of different countries represented there every morning. The 2019 camporee's attendance swelled to more than 55,000 people. Photo by Sonja Hults
WHAT: More than 60,000 young people, hailing from more than 100 countries, will set up a tent and RV city August 5-11, 2024, as they attend the Ninth International Pathfinder Camporee at the Cam-Plex Facilities in Gillette, Wyoming.
Themed “Believe the Promise,” the six-day camporee, held every five years, is sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, headquartered in Maryland, and the Center for Youth Evangelism, located in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Pathfinders, a co-ed, scout-like Adventist youth organization, will participate in pin trading, earning honor patches, drilling/marching exhibitions, archery, a talent showcase, a giant Pathfinder choir and orchestra, establishing new world records, and sporting activities, just to name a few.
“Believe the Promise” is based on the story of Moses, who accepted God’s call to deliver the children of Israel from centuries of bondage in Egypt. Each evening, participants will enjoy a live action musical featuring 30 original songs, as well as messages of hope from Damian Chandler, lead pastor of the Capitol City Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sacramento, California.
Pathfinders worldwide, including those from the United States, United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, South America, Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa have been planning to attend this camping extravaganza for several years. Some clubs have sold pizzas, washed cars, and hosted yard sales/flea markets to raise money to participate in the event.
One of the most important activities the Pathfinders will undertake is the community service projects. Attendees will assist in 45 local service efforts in the communities surrounding Gillette.
“With service at the core of Pathfinders’ Christian values, they will demonstrate the love of Christ by giving over 10,000 hours of Pathfinder power to custom-designed projects in the Gillette community,” said Cindi Young, community service coordinator for the camporee.
Young continued, “The joy that Pathfinders will experience in serving at this international level will inspire them to continue giving back in the future.”
Community service projects will be central to the Gillette, Wyoming international camporee. Here, Pathfinders engage in service during the 2019 Oshkosh, Wisconsin camporee. Photo: Sonja Hults
Community Service Project Volunteers will be at the following locations while in Gillette. These are only a sampling of the 45 community projects:
- Campbell County Cemetery District | Volunteer
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | Volunteer
- City of Gillette Parks Division
- Conservation District
- Council of Community Services
- From Me to You Clothes Swap
- Gillette College
- Gillette Rotary Club
- Meadowlark Elementary
- Primrose Retirement Community of Gillette
- Campbell County Public Works
- Rockpile Museum
- Campbell County Senior Center
- Campbell County Veterans Council
- Westwood High School
- Wyoming Work Warehouse
- Mural painting and sidewalk art with local artist Heather Rodriguez
The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Pathfinder delegation will assemble at the CAM-PLEX Facilities for the first time. Also a first, international camporee tickets were sold out by January of this year, and a survey found that more than 7,500 individuals from North America and approximately 8,000 around the world were still seeking tickets.
The first international camporee was held in Denver, Colorado, at Red Rocks, with 12,540 young people. In 1999, the camporee was moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and welcomed 22,000 guests. The number of visitors has now grown to more than 60,000, necessitating a change of venue. Following several site visits to Gillette’s kid-friendly facilities, two international camporee committees unanimously voted to move west.
The All Star Drum Corps performs to open the first evening program at the 2019 International Pathfinders Camporee in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Photo: NAD
“Gillette, Wyoming, its community and facilities, offer so much for Pathfinders. First and foremost is the community’s welcoming and friendly spirit for a youth event. They host the national high school rodeo finals and have high-quality sports facilities,” said Ron Whitehead, executive director for the Center for Youth Evangelism and the international camporee.
He noted, “The community service activities are the best we have ever had because the local community is so involved and supportive.”
One notable service activity Pathfinders will engage in is cleaning 7,700 graves and 1,200 veterans’ crosses in the Campbell County Cemetery District. In just two days, four shifts of 150 Pathfinders will complete a task too extensive for cemetery staff to complete in a summer. “We’re so excited and proud to share with our community that we have an opportunity to put a shine on the entire 60-acre property,” said the district’s superintendent, Darin Edmonds.
“I love the camporee because it brings together Pathfinders from over 100 countries to network together, learn together, play together, and worship together,” said Whitehead.
He concluded, “What motivates me and other camporee leaders to spend so much time, energy and tenacity working through enormous logistics and unexpected challenges is this — Jesus. It is all about Jesus. All camporee leaders want this generation to know how loved they are and to “Believe the Promise.”
WHEN: August 5-11, 2024
WHO: More than 60,000 youth from approximately 100 countries are camping and attending the eighth annual camporee. Founded in 1946, the Pathfinder Club is a worldwide organization sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church for their communities. It is comparable to the Boy and Girl Scout clubs. Its target audience is both boys and girls ages 10 to 15. There are approximately two million Pathfinders worldwide, including more than 30,000 Pathfinder clubs operating in 150 countries. The clubs encourage mental, physical, and spiritual growth in weekly meetings. Club meetings consist of group worship and class work for honors, which develops leadership skills and hobbies.
WHY: Pathfinders’ impact on the local Gillette community will be positive: community service, beautification projects, outreach, and economic stimulus.
WHERE: CAM-PLEX Facilities | 1635 Reata Dr, Gillette, WY 82718. Evening programs and the Sabbath morning worship service will also be live streamed on Facebook, YouTube, camporee.org, and other platforms (click here for updates).
During the evening program at the 2019 Chosen camporee, the Maharlika Pathfinder Club from the Ontario Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada, performed before a crowd of more than 55,000. Photo: J. Courtney Herod
CAMPOREE WEBSITE:
For more information about the 2024 Believe the Promise International Camporee, please visit http://www.camporee.org.
Click here if you wish to audition to share your talent on the main stage, as part of the choir, or in the orchestra.
FOR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF PREVIOUS CAMPOREES:
Visit the NAD Flickr site for photo albums (scroll down) from the 2019 camporee; click here for photos from just one of the days.
Visit http://www.camporee.org or click here to view previous camporees’ evening programs.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Kimberly Maran, communication director
Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America
e-mail: kimberlymaran@nadadventist.org
Or
Julio C. Muñoz, associate communication director
Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America
e-mail: juliomunoz@nadadventist.org
ABOUT THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mainstream Protestant church with approximately 21 million members worldwide and roughly 1.2 million members in North America. The Seventh-day Adventist Church seeks to enhance the quality of life for all people by adhering to the ideals described in the Bible. Their lives will illustrate both faith in God and the church’s commitment to the betterment of all human beings.