Pathfinder Camporee in Gillette Will Host “Community Night”
10 July 2024 |
For the first time, Gillette, Wyoming, will open its doors to the International Pathfinder Camporee, inviting the local community to join approximately 60,000 young attendees from 100 countries. From August 5-11, 2024, these participants will transform the Gillette Cam-Plex Facilities into a lively tent and RV city.
This historic westward move of the camporee follows extensive preparations by officials who have visited the site multiple times since 2020. Their visits confirmed a significant interest from local residents in participating in the camporee’s evening events.
Organizers have planned a special preview night on August 4, hoping to pique the interest of the community. To ensure the safety of all minors attending, the camporee will require background checks for all additional guests. This “Night at the Camporee” marks the first time community members are officially invited to partake in the camporee’s mainstage events. Attendees will enjoy a 90-minute showcase of the “Believe the Promise” program, which portrays the inspiring story of Moses from the Old Testament.
The event will take place at the Cam-plex Park’s amphitheater, where community members can bring their own chairs to witness the performances on a massive stage, measuring 115 feet in depth and 258 feet in width. The evening will feature praise music, a ventriloquist act, and a special acknowledgment of the support from Gillette and Campbell County leaders.
Ron Whitehead, the executive director of the International Pathfinder Camporee, expressed his excitement about the initiative, stating, “The motivation to offer this community night was because so many individuals from the community were asking to attend the mainstage program. We hope the community enjoys this free, world-class presentation.”
The camporee’s nightly programs are the result of five years of extensive planning involving contractors, artists, scriptwriters, musicians, actors, and thousands of volunteers. Randy Griffin, Gillette’s nighttime program director, highlighted the elaborate nature of the event: “This is not just a Sabbath afternoon skit at a summer camp. It’s a massive, well-planned production that inspires kids to love the Lord.”
Camporee officials are prepared for any turnout at the preview event, from a handful to thousands. Griffin concluded, “We may have 10 people, which is great! Those ten people will be blessed. If we have 10,000, even better.”
The camporee’s nightly mainstage programs can be watched online at: https://www.camporee.org/.
