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Scouts, public enjoy Camp Wilson
The first weekend in May has served as the Boy Scouts spring camp out at Camp Wilson for more than 58 years and the Camp Wilson Barbecue Committee has provided the Scouts with a final meal before they head back to their homes for the same length of time.
The tradition began when parents who had taken the opportunity to camp along with the boys decided to get together for a final potluck meal before breaking camp. They would use the last of their groceries so they would not have to pack them up and carry them home.
The gathering soon became a way for families to 'reward' the Scouts for their efforts over the weekend where they had tested their skills in friendly competition as they vied for top honors and a chance to lead the march from the camp site to the barbecue site and serve as the color guard and raise the nation's flag over the site.
Although now there is a committee to prepare the meal and the menu remains constant, today the barbecue serves the same purpose as well as allowing the public an opportunity to meet with the Scouts and share a meal.
For nearly two hours volunteers manned the lines to fill the plates with beef, potatoes and onions that had just come from the hot rock-lined pit where the food had been roasting since 2 a.m., while the beans cooked on an open fire nearby.
The event is now a fundraiser that allows the committee to provide scholarships, awards and prizes to the Boy Scouts who participate in the weekend campout.
