Every four years, about 45,000 boy scouts from groups throughout the United States gather for the National Scout Jamboree. The 10-day scouting event brings together leaders, staff and Scouts from about 800 troops to experience a myriad of activities together in the beautiful mountainous 10,600-acre West Virginia-based national Scout reserve.
Part of how the Scouts get to know each other is to create and exchange patches from their respective councils. Bennett sponsored the design of a patch for 205 members, including adults, from the Flint River Council, to bring to the National Jamboree in July 2017. The Bennett family, employees and owner/operators helped raise $3,500 toward the $7,500 cost of producing the patches, allowing the council to use the money for other Jamboree costs.
Eagle Scout and Flint River member Will Collett volunteered to coordinate the patches for his council, which includes Scouts from eight counties just south of metro Atlanta. Will, whose father James is an IT project manager for Bennett, came up with the idea of designing a truck theme for the patch. His fellow troop member Nick Street partnered with him and came up with some drawings and managed the project.
“Everyone loves trucks,” says the 18-year-old who just graduated from McDonough, GA-based Locust Grove High School and is waiting to hear from colleges. “Kids and teenagers look at 18-wheelers and think ‘wow’, especially the more fancy ones.”
Will thought Bennett might be willing to sponsor the patch and approached Bennett CFO David Pittman, whose son is in the same troop as himself. “I knew I could talk to him,” Will says. “Bennett was always there for me. They helped me with my Eagle Scout project. They’ve always been a great company that is willing to help.”
Bennett supplied a designer from their Marketing department, William Ray, to help put the patch together. Will and Nick came up with an eco-friendly drawing. With William’s help, they were able to create two designs that reflected trucks from Bennett’s various divisions – one in color and the other in white for a unique fully ghosted version in a small quantity. “It’s hard to take a 3D color photo and turn it into one color,” Will says. “You’d be surprised how many people do patches, but not many people do great patches. Our patches did really well at the show.”
A total of 575 sets were produced, 525 color versions and just 50 ghosted sets, which were given to people who contributed to the design and development as a gift. Each of the Flint River Scouts who attended were given a number of patches to trade at the National Jamboree for other sets from around the United States.
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