This year’s Merit Badge Fair, hosted and held at Exelon, enters the 30th year of helping Boy Scouts earn badges. Scoutmaster Don Husted of Clinton Troop 142 informed a huge crowd of nearly 500 scouts, leaders, parents, counselor and others at the gathering they had exceeded 4500 merit badges earned since the year 2,000. 

 

Exelon’s help has made the annual fair an affordable event for Scouts and their troops. This year was the largest gathering known since the about 2000 — doubling last year’s attendance alone. 

 

Plus, Exelon’s employees offer to counsel several specialized merit badges including one in nuclear science. 

 

Scouts from all over Illinois, plus Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin and Missouri attended. The one day event even has a special treat for Scouts. Exelon allows them to camp at the site usually reserved for Exelon employees and their families on Clinton Lake the night before and after the fair.