Sequoyah Council scouts, pictured left to right with Nolachuckey District Executive Wesley Miller (red hat) include: Aaron Collins, TJ Walker, AJ Torbett and Joshua Carroll. CONTRIBUTED
For nearly a half-century, Camp Davy Crockett has been the centerpiece of the Sequoyah Council, Boy Scouts of America, offering a highly sought-after outdoor experience each summer for thousands of young people in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
A scout repels down a wall at Camp Davy Crockett. CONTRIBUTED
Now the council wants to ensure that its crown jewel remains a premier destination for generations of future scouts.
On Saturday, April 21, the Sequoyah Council launched Let’s Get It Growing, a public capital campaign in support of the 1,800-acre camp located in Whitesburg, Tennessee. Scheduled to conclude in August 2018, the effort will be the second and final phase of a $5 million initiative launched two years ago to address a series of major infrastructure needs at Camp Davy Crockett.
Phase one of the campaign, which was silent, generated $3.2 million, more than half of the needed goal.
“Let’s Get It Growing enables us to connect with the entire scouting family and our community to share the story of Camp Davy Crockett, emphasizing its role in providing the best possible outdoor experience for our scouts,” says David Page, scout executive/CEO of the Sequoyah Council. “Phase one of our campaign put us in a position to start tackling some critical needs, and this next step is the natural evolution of our effort to sustain the camp for the next 25 to 30 years.”
Central to Let’s Get It Growing is the construction of a new multi-purpose dining hall, which will double the seating capacity of the existing facility, feature updated kitchen equipment and allow for conversion to a large meeting facility when needed. In addition, the current dining hall will be transformed into a staff dormitory/training facility, and new bathhouses will be introduced to replace latrines and outdated shower facilities.
The first phase of the capital campaign to improve Camp Davy Crockett raised $3.2 million, which was over half of the goal needed to complete renovations at the facility. CONTRIBUTED
Contributions received from the campaign’s first phase have enabled the Sequoyah Council to complete a number of camp additions and enhancements, including: construction of 50 Adirondack cabins, a waterfront dock, log roll and iceberg water elements, the purchase of a Tahoe ski boat, paddle boards, ovens for the dining hall, and funds for road improvements. Current projects include the building of 11 campsite pavilions and a staff village, which will offer 16 cabins, provide housing for summer camp staff and be available for rental during the offseason. The pavilions and village will be completed by summer 2018, and a staff lodge will be developed and ready for use by summer 2019.
Additional funds have been designated to develop a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) center, family fun activity center/park, and perform renovations to the chapel. These projects will be completed in 2019-2020.
“We are genuinely grateful for those who have embraced our vision and contributed to our cause,” Page says. “With this final phase, we will ensure that Camp Davy Crockett remains a cornerstone of the scouting experience for youth in our region for many decades to come.”
For more information about the Sequoyah Council or Let’s Get It Growing, visit www.scbsa.org or www.letsgetitgrowing.com, or call (423) 952-6961.
