Ray Frechette Jr Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 To all of my acquaintances who I have contacted in the past. I have not been posting here but I need the help of any who are willing. I am an assistant Scoutmaster of a Local Boy Scout troop in Pine Tree Council. Pine tree council is planning on selling a 100 acre wilderness scout camp that has been in continuous use and ownership since 1948. It has roughly 300 yards of frontage on a small fresh water pond. We are desperately trying to get Council to back down and give us an opportunity to buy the camp from them and deed restrict it and hold it in a non profit organization we will own in order to preserve thsi campsite in perpetuity. The council has stated they think they can get $375,000 for this camp to offset a $180,000.00 shortfall in their budget this year. All I am asking you to do is to please if you have a facebook account join the facebook group we have formed. We are trying to get big numbers of supporters to join us and tell council to reconsider their decision and give us time to raise funds. I know of at least 30 individuals who have already pledged $500.00 to go as earnest money to hold this property. We expect we could likely raise the money within 2 years time. Please visit and join http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=323022840617&ref=share I would view it as a personal favor if you might join. If you ever felt appreciation for something I posted in the past I would consider it well paid if you would join this group and help me save this camp. Quote
Hirilonde Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 I totally support your efforts Ray, and have joined your group and signed your wall. Narragansett Council in Rhode Island used to have a camp on the Narrow River in the salt marsh as it enters Narragansett Bay. It was their only piece of marine front property. They sold it to a developer to be made into condominiums for the very same reason your Maine property is being sold. Aside from the fact that it is a travesty to lose camping space in the outdoors, most property was donated to councils (which are really part of National BSA and under their control) on behalf of the boys and for their benefit and enjoyment. The benefactors did not intend for the property to be a source of revenue. To then sell it is in violation of the intent of the donation, and in some cases it is illegal. You might want to investigate how this land was acquired by your council and see if any stipulations were made in the deed. Lord Baden Powell wrote 3 letters of Farewell before he died. One to the Boy Scouts (boys), one to the Girl Guides (girls) and one to the Scouters (adult volunteers of both). In his letter to the Scouters he warned us to beware of the professionals. He warns that the true intentions of Scouting can only be preserved by volunteers, as they have no ulterior motives. His vision of the future, and his fear of it were right on track. Quote
Ray Frechette Jr Posted November 8, 2009 Author Posted November 8, 2009 Deed lists only one restriction. That camp situated on it should be named Camp Gustin. No restrrictions against sale. Surviving family members are incensed at sale proposal. Thank you very much for your help. What we need right now is not money. We need people to sign up on facebook and post a one paragraph letter of dissaproval if you feel that way. We need to make this uncomfortable for Council and convinc3e them to sell the property to us. If they will agree we will forma non profit land trust to hold the property and our first act will be to write in deed restrictions to make the property valueless from a development perspective to hopefully secure and protect this land till the second coming of Christ. 750 indivudals in our county who agree to raise or donate $500.00 would pay for this. We need to show council we have numbers of support to convince them we can pull it off in a timely fashion. I personally will write the first $500.00 check to a formed non profit if someone else doesn't beat me to that honor. I also will commit to raising at least another $500.00 in community. I have a lot of history with this camp and I can not conceive of a better use for 500 of my dollars than to preserve and protect this camp as a primitive wilderness campsite for the use and enjoyment of the youth of Androscoggin county. I am not asking anyone here to send money. All I ask is that you take a moment to join our facebook page and write a brief paragraph of your thoughts. We need to make it very attractive to Pine Tree Council to seek a win win solution. Might you havbve a link to Baden Powelss letters of farewell?? Quote
Hirilonde Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 Sorry Ray, I know of no on-line link. All 3 letters appear in the appendices of "Two Lives of a Hero" by William Hillcourt. The books is out of print most of the time, and copies are expensive, maybe try your library. Quote
RSdaCat Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Done and Done! It was my pleasure to do so. G-d forbid that in the midst of losing jobs, our national pride, and our security, that we also lose the one of the few places that are capable of inspiring our youth? If we lose those places, where can they learn stand up? Learn to appreciate? Learn to care for? :shock: I wish you blessings and much power behind you! Hazack! ~RS Quote
lbrewer Posted November 10, 2009 Posted November 10, 2009 Ray, I didn't have a facebook presence, but I do now. The more I thought about it the madder I got. I just read Dave's response above, and he echoes my thoughts exactly. I feel sure that the wishes of the donor were being disregarded. In my eyes this is theft of property....no its worse....It is betrayal by those who were entrusted with this gift to future generations of kids for the sake of profit. Larry Quote
Konrad Posted November 10, 2009 Posted November 10, 2009 Have you tried contacting the local media? (assuming they'd spin it in your favor.) Quote
Ray Frechette Jr Posted November 10, 2009 Author Posted November 10, 2009 http://www.sunjournal.com/node/432559/ http://www.sunjournal.com/node/431414/ Local paper has covered us and offered an editorial in our support. Sunday we have a scheduled Scouting for food Rally at Camp Gustin where we are trying ot get as many as possible to show up and bring one item of food and 1 dollar bill and letting Council know we are ready to buy the camp... Trying to get TV news coverage. The dollar bill is to let them know it is the last dollar of ours they will ever see if they sell the camp out from under us without giving us the option to buy it. At this point we are not certain if the council has already entered into a contract to sell or not. If they have, then there will be very serious financial ramifications to council as our support will be sorely tested and our trust destroyed. Quote
lbrewer Posted November 10, 2009 Posted November 10, 2009 Found a link to the text of the last message to scouters http://clipart.usscouts.org/ScoutDoc/B-P/baden1.pdf Quote
Hirilonde Posted November 10, 2009 Posted November 10, 2009 Found a link to the text of the last message to scouters http://clipart.usscouts.org/ScoutDoc/B-P/baden1.pdf That's the one. Quote
Ray Frechette Jr Posted November 10, 2009 Author Posted November 10, 2009 If anyone wants to do more. Last night a group of adult leaders came to a consensus to try to buy Camp Gustin from Pine Tree Council. This week Leaders will contact Pine Tree Council and seek to begine negotiations to buy it. Reading between the lines of public comments by Pine Tree Council Officials we fear that they may already have a contract to sell it even though they publicly state a decision has not yet been made to sell. If you would wish to help our cause further please consider a brief email to our Council executives urging them to sell Camp gustin to the Scouts and Scouters. If we get agreement form them we will form a 501c3 non profit to raise funds and to hold this property for Boy and Girl Scout use as long as the United States may stand. Further we would open up the use of the property to any group who wishes to rent use of the property in an as available basis. The land would be deed restricted to strip all development rights from it, and stipulate that it can never be sold but may be donated to another non profit organization with stipulations it must be made available for the use of the Youth of Androscoggin county. A brief letter to Mr Tony Rogers, Pine Tree Councils Chjief executive with copies sent to Bryan Thomas also of Pine Tree Council and to BSA National Headquarters asking them to carefully consider selling to the scouters of Androscoggin county would be most appreciated. If you do so, would you please send a copy to Ed our district Chair who is spearheading the effort to buy Camp Gustin. A copy to me would also be appreciated too at refent01@yahoo.com. Mr. Tony Rogers Scout Executive Pine Tree Council, BSA 131 Johnson Rd. Portland , Me. 04102 e-mail: arogers@bsamail.org COPY TO: Bryan Thomas Assistant Scout Executive Pine Tree Council, BSA 131 Johnson Rd Portland , Me. 04102 e-mail: bthomas@bsamail.org COPY TO: National Council Boy Scouts of America Post Office Box 152079 Irving , TX 75015-2079 Don Quote
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