The Caddo Area Council is suspending the 2018 Boy Scout residential camp at one of its properties.
The usual summer programming at Camp Pioneer won't happen next year while the council works to improve infrastructure at the 360-acre property near Mena, Ark.
"A lot of what we're doing you're not going to see," said Anthony Escobar, Caddo Area Council Scout executive. "It's plumbing and electrical, things we need to do to ensure we can have camping programs year-round."
The recommendation was passed by a unanimous vote of 37 to zero at Tuesday night's board meeting.
"We aren't closing camp. We're suspending it. It's going to take time and money to complete the project, and we can't do that successfully while we're also running summer camp," Escobar said.
The next step is raising the funds to make improvements at Pioneer and Camp Preston Hunt, just outside of Texarkana, Ark.
Escobar said $150,000 is needed for Camp Pioneer and another $50,000 for Camp Preston Hunt for the short-term improvements.
"In the long-term, we'd like to raise $10 million for new construction to take both of our camps to the next level of program delivery," Escobar said.
The council plans to kick off a capital campaign in early spring to support these projects.
A key factor in why these improvements are needed is growth in the Scouting program.
"As we project membership over the next five years, we see a strong growth in our membership, and we need to prepare.
"We need to get ready for this big influx of Scouts," Escobar said.
In 2018, the council will start accepting girls in the Cub Scout program, and in 2019, girls will be accepted into the Boy Scout program.
"With elementary- and Boy Scout-age girls coming on board, that will give us a stronger growth trend, and we need to be ready," Escobar said.
While improvements are being made at Camp Pioneer, the council will be laying out and implementing a plan for year-round programming at the property, which will include smaller mini-camps throughout the year focused on specific Scouting skills like kayaking, fly fishing, shooting and more.
"You won't have to wait until summer to come to Camp Pioneer and have a good time and practice Scouting skills," Escobar said.
The community's help will be needed to make this vision a reality.
"We need the community's financial support. Our Caddo Area Council Scouting program impacts our entire community. It touches every phase in our entire community. The three fundamental tenants of Scouting are duty to God, duty to country and service to others. That is what we instill in our Scouts, boys and girls, and those are your neighbors, employers, co-workers, fathers and mothers. That's our community, so helping Scouting helps the entire community," Escobar said.