In the pages of the six planned editions of the Scouts Canada Jamboree newspaper, there may be some highlights from the performances by the Arrogant Worms.
During his short tenure as a Scout, Arrogant Worms band member Trevor Strong was “pretty terrible at it.”
“I think I got three badges in two years or something,” said Strong, adding he couldn’t remember which badges he earned.
“I just didn’t have the badge fever.”
But he and his bandmates are set to perform the Scouts Jamboree at Camp Woods near Sylvan Lake this July with the Abrams Brothers.
Known for comedy and Canadiana, the Arrogant Worms sing about everything from Mounties to Saskatchewan pirates to the vastness of their home and native land.
Strong, who is one of the band’s singers and songwriters, said they have done a couple of shows for Scouts over the years, including a performance for a Windsor troop and once at the British Columbia provincial Jamboree.
“I guess we’ve been working our way up the ranks,” said Strong.
“Apparently some of our songs are popular at campfires. I think the simplicity of our songs and our lack of ability to write more than three chords has paid off around the campfire.”
The Ottawa native said the show would be one to remember because it would be different, having a sea of Scouts to perform for.
“They all kind of know the songs, but I’m ever sure which songs they know,” said Strong. “Sometimes they sing along all of a sudden and you’re not expecting it.”
Throughout the Jamboree week, Scouts and a few adults will become newspeople as they produce six editions of a newspaper.
Sheila Carruthers-Forget, public relations team lead for the Jamboree, said the editions will range from eight to 12 pages and will be published every weekday the Scouts are at the Jamboree.
“It’s called the News-asaurus and we have lots of great young writers who are writing lots of stories and I have photographers taking pictures every day,” said Carruthers-Forget.
There will be a paper published the Friday before everyone arrives, July 5, then editions published July 8 to 12.
“On the Friday (July 12) we do the last edition,” said Carruthers-Forget. “It will be a sort of commemorative edition, pulling together the great things that have been going on all week at camp.”
These newspapers will be printed by the Red Deer Advocate.
The Scouts Canada Jamboree runs July 6 to 13.
mcrawford@www.reddeeradvocate.com