Boy Scouts Invade Oskaloosa In Search Of Merit Badges

Mahaska County Emergency Manager Jamey Robinson instructs some Boy Scouts in emergency preparedness on Saturday

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Oskaloosa played host to over 200 Boy Scouts on Saturday.

The scouts came from: Ankeny, Des Moines, Eldora, Greene, Mt. Pleasant, Bloomfield, Knoxville, Pella, Cedar Rapids, Centerville, Albia, Ottumwa, Wayland, Packwood, Mitchellville. Twenty eight different communities from around Iowa in all.

Several local businesses and churches opened up their facilities to host classes during the day. William Penn, Musco, Dr. Moore Dental, Christian Opportunity Center, Central United Methodist Church, Mahaska Veterinary Clinic and Russell Wildlife.

Over 20 people donated their time to help teach a class for each merit badge.

Jamey Robinson is just one example of the volunteers. He helped by teaching classes how to be prepared in case of an emergency. With this class, scouts earned their badges in emergency preparedness.

Other businesses helped out by donating to making the day more pleasant: Musco, Mid-Continent Bottling in Ottumwa, Hardee’s, McDonald’s, North Hy-Vee in Ottumwa, Fareway in Oskaloosa and Ottumwa.

Amy Harper said, “This really was a community wide effort to help raise money for Troop 71 and to help over 200 boys earn merit badges!”

Troop 71 is 55 years old and is chartered by Central United Methodist Church in Oskaloosa.