Boy Scouts from Troop 585 in Seymour spent the weekend of January 17-19, 2003 at the FOP lodge off of Martin Mill Pike in Knoxville. The Derby was sponsored by the Sequoyah Chapter, Order of the Arrow, Pellissippi Lodge #230. Their main purpose in attending and enduring the harsh elements (2 degrees on Friday night) was to utilize their handmade Klondike sled and visit several “towns” along their 4-hour journey. Many troops built a lashed “natural” pioneering style sled with no carbon fiber, aluminum, or space-age materials. In addition, the sleds were large and sturdy enough for a single rider and equipment.
At each town, scouts were asked to complete certain tasks or display certain skills that they have learned while in scouting; all these exercises tested essential Boy Scout information such as first aid, wilderness survival, and fire building.
Along the path, the scouts collected gold nuggets; the team with the most nuggets and the best time around the course was awarded overall winner. Each town also recognized the top 3 participants for the particular skill or task. So, not only did the scouts survive the harsh environment, they also managed to learn valuable information that will benefit them for years to come.

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