Local Scout troop receives top honors at Camp Wilson

Scouts and troop leaders finish their hike to Camp Wilson to mark the beginning of this year's camp jamboree. (Photos by Joni Vann)

Troop 57 from Mountain Home earned top honors in an overall competition among Boy Scouts during the 69th Annual Camp Wilson Camporee, which wrapped up on Sunday.

Good crowds enjoyed excellent weather as troops representing communities across southern Idaho gathered at the Boy Scout jamboree site between Pine and Featherville to participate in this year's camp.

On Saturday, Scouts competed in a number of competitions, which focus on skills like first aid, archery, fire building and knot tying. They were also judged on campsite cleanliness and their Scout spirit.

Scouts from Troop 57 in Mountain Home raise the colors as they participate at Camp Wilson, held each year at the Scout jamboree site between Pine and Featherville.

At the end of the day, most of the competition awards were handed out with a Court of Honor selecting the overall best troop in addition to patrol awards. During an announcement on Sunday, the Mountain Home-based Scout troop was officially named the overall winner with Troop 323 from Emmett and Troop 92 out of Boise rounding out the top three.

Other top Scout troops named at the Count of Honor were Troop 123 from Boise, Troop 320 out of Pocatello and Troop 49 from Boise.

The camp culminated on Sunday with a community barbecue that served more than 850 pounds of roast beef, 800 pounds of potatoes and gallons of ham and beans. The meal is hosted by the Camp Wilson barbecue committee -- a non-profit, youth-oriented group that serves the meal as a finale to each camporee.

Organizers hold a barbecue each year to commemorate the conclusion of Camp Wilson and to present awards to the top troops and the winners of its scholarship program.

The barbecue committee also provided scholarships to graduating seniors from Mountain Home High School and Glenns Ferry High School in conjunction with the Scout gathering. The names of this year's recipients were not immediately available.

Meanwhile, Xavior Maestas received this year's Summer Camp award -- a scholarship presented by the Camp Wilson barbecue committee while the Alton Harris & Bruce Hicks award went to Brendan Negri.

The Camp Wilson Barbecue Committee praised the communities of Pine, Featherville, Glenns Ferry and Mountain Home for their continued support of the camporee and barbecue. Meanwhile, planning has begun for next year's barbecue.