February 12, 2003
Service award honors club's involvement with Camp Greilick
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
The Rotary Club of Traverse City received an award Tuesday afternoon recognizing their long years of dedication to area Boy Scouts.
The Scenic Trails Council gave club president Wes Nelson the prestigious Whitney M. Young, Jr., Service Award, an award that recognizes an individual or organization for encouraging scouting among low-income or rural youth. The award was given during a Rotary Club meeting on Tuesday afternoon, whose focus was Scouting - Michigan's Best Investment. The meeting's program also included tributes from State Senator Jason Allen, State Representative Howard Walker and Governor Jennifer Granholm plus one from United States Senator Carl Levin.
This is the first time that the Scenic Trails Council has bestowed the award, said Tom Stoeber, scout executive for the council. The nomination was motivated by the long relationship between the two organizations at Camp Greilick. Both the local council and a national committee approved the nomination.
"Without the Rotary's financial and moral support we would not have the Camp Greilick facility," Stoeber said. "That facility has served countless scouts since its inception and the Rotary leadership has been just more than ever expected."
The Scenic Trails Council covers 13 counties and includes nearly 4,000 scouts and 1,000 leaders. For the boys and leader who are able to enjoy the camp's 450 acres, including access to three lakes, the Rotary Club provides a way to reinforce scouting's mission and goals.
The Rotary Club has owned the property since 1926, 13 years before a Boy Scout council was formed in the area. Girl Scouts also used the facility in the early years, although that organization eventually purchased their own property because of heavy use of the Camp Greilick facility.
Today, the Rotary Club still owns the property, they generously allow the council unlimited access and the council's troops handle the maintenance and upkeep. The Rotary Club assists with capital improvement projects, providing money, ideas or moral support as needed.
"It is the Rotary Club's vision to have kids out there all the time exploring nature, learning self reliance and I think that everything they've dreamed up has come true," Stoeber said.
Marty Cotanche has been involved in scouting for 45 years and began attending Camp Greilick in 1960. An Eagle Scout, Cotanche's family was heavily involved in the camp during the 1960s: his mother was camp cook, his grandfather was the camp commissioner and his brothers also camped there.
"I've sort of grown up with it," he said of his years watching the camp grow and facilities expand. "I've watched it from the perspective of boy, camp staff member, scout master and also council president raising funds."
Cotanche said it is unusual for a council of this size to have such a facility located in its midst. Especially one that offers a full range of scouting activities and leadership opportunities.
"It is a well-rounded camp and there is an opportunity for waterfront activities, an archery range and a rifle range are real popular activities," he said. "They do the whole gamut of specialized activities there and a lot of kids and troops have gone year after year for decades."
Cotanche has been a member of the Rotary Club for several years and noted that many Rotarians have deep roots in scouting.
"A good number of us have been leaders over the years," he said.