Hudson Valley Boy Scout's Camp Celebrates 75 Years

by M. C. Millman

The Greater Hudson Valley Council of Boy Scouts of America's (GHVBSA) Camp Bullowa celebrated its 75th anniversary together with New York State Senator Elijah Reichlin Melnick, Rockland County Legislator Doug Jobson, and over 400 Boy Scouts who came from all over the Hudson Valley.

"This weekend, I enjoyed visiting with local scouts, camp rangers, and everyone who organized this momentous and fun event at this beloved and beautiful site that has served generations of Scouts in Rockland and beyond," Senator Reichlin-Melnick says. "The enthusiastic presentations from scouts and leaders demonstrate how special this facility is in the lives of so many young people for generations. I was pleased to celebrate this milestone with a proclamation and honor all of the camp rangers with a certificate."

The property was purchased in September 1947 using a gift from Miss Grace A.M. Bullowa and Dr. Addison S. Boyce as a memorial to Dr. Alma Boyce. The first campout, a Fall Camporee, was held the next month with 250 Scouts in attendance.

Some of the Scouts in attendance during the celebration, which took place last weekend, were involved in burying a time capsule at the 50th Anniversary celebration in 1972. The opening of the time capsule was one of the highlights of the anniversary celebration. Contents included Scout handbooks, neckerchiefs, and slides as examples of the then-current Scout uniform, pictures, troop rosters, and Scout patches.

The Boy Scouts of America provides the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be "Prepared For Life." The Scouting organization is comprised of 2.7 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 21 and more than a million volunteers.