September 15th, 2004

Scouts receive land proposal from DNR
By Dylan Thomas
Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO - The Twin Valley Council Boy Scouts' plan to raise much-needed funds moved one step closer to fruition Tuesday night when its executive committee heard a proposal for the sale of part of Camp Cuyuna.

Council Executive Director Paul Wilkinson said a Department of Natural Resources representative presented their official offer of $1.53 million for a part of the Crosslake-area camp.

That was no surprise to Wilkinson, who said it was just about the amount the council had been counting on. Still, that leaves the Scouts with plenty of ground to make up.

The purchase is being made through the DNR's Reinvest in Minnesota program, which requires the Scouts to raise $600,000 in matching funds. So far, they're about one-third of the way there.

Leading that effort is Commitment to Camping Capital Campaign chairman Loran Kaardal, who told the committee the campaign had raised $178,214 in cash as of Tuesday. Anticipated pledges and grants bring the total to almost $206,000, Kaardal said.

But with the Nov. 30 end of the campaign fast approaching, the Scouts are feeling the crunch.

"The support from the Scouting family has not been as great as we'd hoped," Wilkinson said.

Kaardal is banking on organizations with interests in conservation to make up for what Scouts can not provide. Kaardal had previously said he'd contacted a number of groups who would be happy to contribute to the campaign, provided the Scouts can make the DNR sale work.

Wilkinson said solicitations from Scouts will end with the campaign, but left open the possibility that the DNR proposal could stay on the table into next year if some of those potential pledges would materialize.

DNR Regional Operations Supervisor for the Division of Land and Minerals Bob Hobart made it clear the DNR is eager to see the deal go through.

The parcel contains Big Pickerel and Little Pickerel lakes, which together have about 1.8 miles of undeveloped shoreline, Hobart said, a rare find in cabin-covered northern Minnesota.

Hobart said the parcel would become an aquatic management area.

It would remain open to the public for fishing, hiking, bow hunting and other activities.

Last Updated: September 18, 2004