Menlo Park Boy Scouts host pumpkin patch to earn their way to Jamboree

Next summer may be months away, but six Menlo Park boys know where they’re headed — to the 2013 National Boy Scout Jamboree on the East Coast. This Saturday (Oct. 20) six members of Troop 222 — Ryan Beaver, Patrick Driscoll, Andrew Fichou, Patrick Johnson, Ian Lange-McPherson, and Nicholas Nolasco — are putting together a Pumpkin Patch in the Suburban Park neighborhood of Menlo Park to help earn their way there.

“I want to go to National Jamboree next year to meet new friends from different states,” said Patrick Driscoll. “This is my first year of high school, and it has been a long time goal to attend National Jamboree. I did a 50 mile hike last year with Boy Scouts and at the Jamboree I’m excited to do rock climbing and bicycling.”

According to Cyndi Nolasco, mother of one of the Scouts, they will be representing Menlo Park among 40,000 Scouts from around the country. “This is a fantastic opportunity for the boys, and it’s important that local boys represent our community,” she said. “The trip is expensive, but our boys are determined to fund their trip.”

The Pumpkin Patch will be located at 252 Hedge Rd.. There will be different size pumpkins to choose from as well as Halloween treats, homemade pies, hand-knitted scarves, and jewelry. Kids can get their faces painted as well as enjoy a free petting zoo with lambs, chickens and rabbits.

“I really want to attend National Jamboree because this is my only chance to have this experience,” said Andrew Fichou.  “I will have aged out of Boy Scouts the next time National Jamboree comes around. This is a once in a life time oppotunity to spend two weeks with Scouts from around the country doing high adventure activities like white water rafting, rock climbing, and mountain boarding.”

100% of the proceeds from Saturday’s Pumpkin Patch go directly to funding the Boy Scout Jamboree trip.

Photo by Irene Searles