GILLETTE, Wyo. — A Tuesday night thunderstorm displaced hundreds of Pathfinders and forced them to take shelter away from their tents; however, Camporee officials remain optimistic about the event’s return to normalcy.
The storm moved into the Gillette area on the evening of Aug. 6, triggering multiple emergency weather alerts ahead of heavy rain and 70 mph wind gusts. Residents were advised to shelter inside an interior room while Pathfinders were instructed to avoid sheltering in their tents and instead seek hard shelter.
The storm was over in a matter of minutes, but its impact on the community was severe, with a lightning strike sparking an apartment fire that displaced residents on Express Drive and with damaged trees in other areas.
At the 2024 International Pathfinder Camporee, campers were evacuated from tents and moved inside buildings while others sheltered inside vehicles, according to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, North American Division.
Ron Whitehead, IPC executive director, said first responders acted swiftly during the evacuation and CAM-PLEX staff exhibited professionalism and care for the Pathfinders as they worked to open buildings for shelter.
Once the storm cleared, Whitehead said law enforcement and county workers adjusted traffic flow, allowing clubs to exit CAM-PLEX to get the supplies they needed for the night.
“This exemplary assistance is another example of why this is a five-star community,” Whitehead said in a statement.
No injuries have been reported in the aftermath of the storm; however, multiple campsites were damaged and flooding occurred in low-lying areas, according to the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
According to the release, an area dubbed “International Village” experienced severe campsite damage. At least 40% of the international club campsites were wiped out in the storm.
“One of our biggest concerns at this moment is the international village,” IPC Executive Director Ron Whitehead said in a statement. “There are more than a hundred countries represented here — Brazil, Ghana, Germany, Pakistan, South Korea and so many more.”
Some countries present at the Camporee don’t have the resources that others do, Whitehead continued, adding that the affected clubs will need to replace tents, sleeping bags and other equipment.
Across Gillette, help came in the form of emergency lodging and donated supplies. At least one church opened its doors to 600 Pathfinders to spend the night, and one resident went so far as to deliver a carload of sleeping bags, blankets and other camping items.
“While it was frightening for some, I’ve gotten many reports of how people’s attitudes, as we sheltered during the storm, were so positive,” Whitehead said in a statement. “There were reports of many random acts of kindness — during the storm and after.”
The storm resulted in morning events being canceled on Aug. 7, but by the afternoon the Camporee was back in full swing.
