$100,000 in grant money is on its way to The Penn’s Woods Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
The funding is expected to be used for renovation work at two Boy Scout camps in the region including Camp Anderson in Snyder Township. The other camp expected to receive help through the federal funding is Camp Seph Mack in Indiana County.
“We are excited to invest and redevelop the camps,” said Daryl Mancinelli, executive director of Penn’s Woods Council.
The money is part of a federal omnibus spending bill under the Veterans Affairs/Housing and Urban Development segment. Mancinelli said Ninth District Congressman Bill Shuster was instrumental in helping the council receive the grant.
Mancinelli said he’s excited about the opportunity to grow and redevelop the camps and reach out into the community to involve others in the outdoors experience which scouts experience.
He explained that the improvements will allow young people with handicaps to experience camping. He noted improvements are being made to the camp site and to the camp’s shower houses. He also said work at Camp Anderson will include “the reworking and redesign of the dining hall” which has been in need of repair “for quite some time.”
He said the plan is to start work in the spring, possibly earlier.
According to information on its Web site, Camp Anderson is located just north of Tyrone, in Bald Eagle and serves as a local retreat for several Boy Scout Troops, Cub Scout Packs and Venture Crews. The camp is typically used as a short-term facility.
The camp plays host to a number of activities each year and also is the site of a number of training programs.
The camp is maintained by Volunteers of the Penn’s Woods Council Properties Committee. Camping is supervised by the Penn’s Woods Council Camping
Committee- Campmaster Corps. The Penn’s Woods Council Service Center can be reached at (814) 288-0162 for more information.
