About 100 Scouts from across the nation will arrive Sunday at Camp Sheppard to kick off ArrowCorps502, a service learning program developed by the Boy Scouts of America, in partnership with Mount Rainier National Park and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Scouts begin their week Monday with onsite Leave No Trace education before dispersing to their work locations. Service projects within Mount Rainier National Park were to focus on trail building and maintenance along the Crystal Lakes Trail in the Sunrise area, as well as converting the Ipsut Creek Campground to a backcountry campsite along the Carbon River. They are to work for three days, then return to Camp Sheppard Friday for a closing jamboree.

In addition to giving volunteer service in Mount Rainier National Park and the surrounding National Forest, the goal of ArrowCorps502 is to provide participants the opportunity to build their leadership experience, cultivate lifelong friendships and enjoy firsthand the power and beauty of the mountain.

“We’re looking forward to seeing this program happen,” said Kevin Bacher, volunteer and outreach program manager at Mount Rainier National Park. “We’ve been working with Scouts from the Order of the Arrow for two years now, and they’ve done a fantastic job of putting this very complex program together.”

For more information regarding ArrowCorps502 or to follow daily updates during this week’s event, visit www.ArrowCorps502.org and RainierVolunteers.blogspot.com/.