The Chester County Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) marked its 100th anniversary with its annual Chester County Camporee at Hibernia County Park in Coatsville on Oct. 29.
State Sen. Andy Dinniman joined the more than 2,500 attendees, including 1,800 young people involved in Scouting, to mark the milestone anniversary. Dinniman presented a special Senate citation in honor of the event to David Hohl, BSA Council commissioner; Jeff Spencer, BSA Scout executive; and David Maxwell, president of the board of directors.
The event featured camping, fishing, archery, and other activities, including craft-making, state park booths, food trucks, and a Chopped-style food competition between troops were all featured over the weekend-long celebration, as well as many opportunities for Scouts to earn merit badges.
The new Program, Activity, and Resource Campus is under construction. Once complete, it will include more than 25 acres of land for outdoor activities, as well as a large indoor complex with space for meetings, classes, and events. The campus will also offer expansive outdoor activities including camping and campfires, fishing, wetlands management, playing fields, fitness activities, hiking and biking trails, ropes and obstacle courses, an observation tower, a climbing wall, open and wooded training areas, and a potential link to the Chester Valley Trail System.
In total, Dinniman secured $295,000 in state funding to establish and support the new campus, located on Route 30 in West Whiteland, near the Exton Square Mall.
The Chester County Council of the BSA partners with community organizations that charter 168 Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Explorer Posts, and Venture Crews that serve approximately 6,000 young people. Approximately 2,800 men and women volunteer in a variety of leadership roles with the Scouts. The council is led by a 40-member volunteer board of directors and employs 19 full-time staff members, as well as approximately 150 season and part-time employees.
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