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In 2000, Boy Scout Troop 161
formulated a dream to secure a couple of acres of land to build a
cabin for troop meetings and to provide some storage for camping equipment.
The site search led this group to Lakeside Industrial Park. The developer of
Lakeside agreed to make the acreage available, at a reduced price in a corner of the
industrial park.
What was once a dream of a
few acres turned into a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase 58 acres of beautiful wetlands and
natural habitat—all within the City limits of Philomath.
Members of Boy
Scouts — in particular Philomath Troop 161 and Philomath Pack 161 - were the
backbone of volunteers and supporters from the inception of the project in
2000. A small active
following of volunteers within the Girl Scout ranks and within Benton County
4-H joined the project as well. These groups envisioned this project and were
willing to stand behind the work and do whatever was necessary to push the
project forward.

Photo Courtesy of Todd Tunison
After 5 years of intensive
fundraising, the 58-acres was paid off, in-full in June 2005. In the following
years the Lodge itself was built and opened for use in the fall of 2008.
Please visit the pages of the
website to learn more about the exciting work and activities that the Lodge has
created and made available to the community and our most valuable resource - our
children and young adults.
There are always opportunities for volunteers and we
hope you will contact us or call and leave a voice mail at 929-7619. We look
forward to meeting you.
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