Ten young people from Perthshire are counting the days till they board a flight bound for Seoul, South Korea.
The once-in-four-years World Scout Jamboree (25WSJ) is being held there in less than a month’s time.
And the contingent of 36 from Unit 4 East Scotland - who have named themselves The Haggis Hot-East - will be mixing with over 40,000 scouts from all over the globe.
They look forward to 12 nights camping at the mass gathering and five days sight-seeing in the capital city.
The 25th World Scout Jamboree will take place at a newly built campground in Saemangeum, Jeollabuk-do, encompassing 8.8 square km beside a national park on the island's west coast.
The group of 10 from Perth and Kinross were selected 18 months ago after a rigorous assessment weekend.
They made the grade and got the good news in time for Christmas 2021, but then they had to take on board the challenge of raising £4000 each to pay their way to Asia.
In March 2022 the Perthshire families formed an umbrella group, WSJ 2023 Perth and Kinross Fundraising Group.
At Easter they held a grand charity duck race in Perth, when they numbered and released 2000 plastic ducks into a stretch of the River Tay.
Selling baking and crafts as well as tickets to guess the number of the winning duck netted the group around £3000, getting their WSJ fundraising off to a fantastic start.
They had a stall at Perth Show last August and rattled buckets, pulling in just over £1000.
Individuals showed personal initiative too - like Tavish Tares, one of Methven Scouts, who did a sponsored virtual cycle ride of South Korea, covering 1200km on his bike around his home in Stanley.
For each actual bike journey Tavish made in Scotland, he researched a similar distance around the boundaries of South Korea, learning about culture and history along the way.
Sarah O’Flynn from the Aberfeldy Scouts made hundreds of batches of fudge to sell at fairs and Highland Games and even fundraised in full Highland dancing gear when she performed steps at Pitlochry Highland Nights, the town’s popular cultural evenings for tourists.
She told her WSJ story to Aberfeldy Rotary Club which gave her a generous donation.
Christina Tarongi made scented bath salts and sold cakes and bakes, Jamie Gorton produced handmade tea light holders.
Hannah Pereira from Bridge of Earn got crafty and made wooden key rings and other items.
“I’m so excited,” Hannah said yesterday. “I can’t wait to make new long-lasting friendships, try unique foods, learn and adapt to new skills and explore different places. It will be fascinating to learn about other cultures and traditions whilst sharing our own.”
Other cash-collecting endeavours included selling winter logs and organizing raffles.
In November, 10th Perthshire Scouts held a Curry and Ceilidh evening at the Scout Hut next to Perth Academy adding hundreds of pounds to the travel kitty.
In the heat of May, the Jamboree-bound scouts heaved heavy bags for the thousands of participants of the Edinburgh Marathon, putting in a 12-hour shift organising the kit bag drop-off.
At the camp organised around the marathon event, they pitched ideas for what activities they would take part in while sight-seeing in Seoul. Leaders practiced airport check-in scenarios with the 14-17 year-olds, many of whom had never been on an international flight.
Their latest get together was an all-Scotland meet at the Meggernie Scout Centre in Glenlyon on June 16-18 when several hundred Jamboree participants practiced skills for the three-week trip that leaves on July 25.
During the Perthshire-based camping weekend the Scottish Scout Commissioner gave the young travellers some hints and tips and friendships blossomed with a giant ceilidh in the evening with all Scottish units and IST (older scouts going to the WSJ as staff).
The majority of Haggis Hot-East’s local crew are Perth-based, from Riverside and West Perth Explorers.
Leader Stephen Gorton noted the great efforts his charges had made in their WSJ journey: “All these young WSJ participants have really smashed it. We are so proud of their amazing personal journeys - and that is before they have even left for Korea!
“The district team appreciated the massive effort that everyone has made, to raise a significant sum of money in a short time and in the current, challenging, financial environment. It’s been awesome to work as a group and to be true to our ethos of working together in the spirit of Scouting and the Jamboree.
“Thanks to everyone who has helped to make this experience of a lifetime possible. Local people and businesses have been incredibly generous.”
Taking the trip to the 25th World Scout Jamboree are: Cameron Anderson, Alasdair Dawes, Reece Drummond, Jamie Gorton, Emily McGregor, Archie Mitchell, Sarah O’Flynn, Hannah Pereira, Tavish Tares and Christina Tarongi.
Now after meticulous planning, nothing stands in their way. The 10 Perthshire representatives will wave their parents goodbye at a barbecue on July 24 ahead of their flight the next morning to Seoul.
