Camp Bogardus welcomes low-income Scouts to San Juan Island

Eric Stone shares good news from Camp Bogardus, where the island’s scouting organization has been using state grant funds to provide unique experiences for off-island youth.

Last year the nonprofit Troop 90 Trust, which owns and operates a 15-acre Scout camp on the westside of San Juan Island for the benefit of local Troop 4090, was awarded a $25,000 grant from the State of Washington Recreation and Conservation Office. The No Child Left Inside program grant is aimed at getting low-income and minority youth out of the home and into nature.

Thus far, Camp Bogardus has hosted grant-eligible troops from Okanogan, Omak, Grand Coulee, Tonasket, and Seattle’s Rainier Valley. More than 100 youth have been able to make the trip of a lifetime to the San Juan Islands, enjoying sea kayaking, whale watching tours, mountain biking, hiking, and interacting with local wildlife.

Because most of the businesses that the Troop 90 Trust is working with are local, nearly all of state grant funds are being spent here on San Juan Island.

The funds provided by the state have also been significantly augmented by the generous support of our chartering organization, American Legion Post 163, as well as the local businesses and nonprofits who have provided us with discounts on purchases, rentals, and programs. These organizations include Ace Hardware, Harbor Rentals, Browne’s Home Center, Frontier Lumber, San Juan Safaris, San Juan Island Outfitters, Cycle San Juan, the National Park Service, and Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

It’s good news all around. Not only is this program hosted by our local Scout troop helping low-income youth from around the state, it’s also boosting the local economy and introducing a new generation of young people to the wonderful place we call home.

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