Boy Scouts need our help!
If you’ve been a Boy Scout or have a scout in the family, chances are you have fond memories of Cricket Holler. The special camp regularly offers a transformative environment to nearly 3,000 scouts in the Miami Valley. It’s a place where they can learn about character development, leadership, and service through immersive outdoor activities.
“From navigating walking trails to participating in team-building challenges, Scouts learn invaluable lessons in resilience, teamwork and problem-solving,” said Jeffrey Schiavone who serves as executive director of the Miami Valley Council, which was established in 1918. Soon after that Cricket Holler was developed by the community to give local Scouts a “classroom in the woods.”
Meet Kit Cricket!
“Late in 1920, with the country going through the Great Depression, the Dayton Journal began publishing an entire page each Sunday devoted to scouting with the Scouts themselves writing articles and content about adventures, Eagle projects and other stories,” Schiavone related.
Among the Scouts who contributed cartoon work to the Scout page was young Milton Caniff, who later became one of the top professional cartoonists in the country. In 1921 a contest was held to name the growing camp and Caniff’s submission of Cricket Holler was selected along with the property’s mascot – Kit Cricket who was drawn by Caniff’s hand. Caniff would go on to publish cartoons for papers across the country featuring adventures that harkened back to his days in Scouting.
Through the years
The 169-acre property went through a larger development in 1944 as a place for Scouts to learn and grow as their fathers were deployed during WWII. “Beyond the thrill of outdoor adventures at Cricket Holler, Scouting instills core values of responsibility, integrity and service, shaping Scouts into well-rounded individuals,” said Schiavone. “However, running such a dynamic and impactful camp comes with a significant cost, requiring significant funds and other gifts-in-kind to maintain operations.”
He said since 2019 Cricket Holler and the associated Schiewetz Leadership Training Center have undergone over $2 million in capital investment with improvements to the infrastructure, including electricity, road, bathrooms and water lines. Additional work has been done to the grounds forestry management, including honeysuckle and invasive plant species removal and the falling of dead trees.
A new plan has been developed for Cricket Holler’s next phase of utilization and organizers look forward to sharing that plan more widely with the community in the near future.
Here’s what they can use:
Reams of printer paper Tri Fold paper towels Toilet paper
New log splitter
New shovel
New tree trimmer
New weed whacker New leaf and steel bow rakes
New pruning loppers New generator
New commercial dishwasher
New hand dryers for bathrooms
Flint and steel kits
First aids kits
Gallon sized zip lock bags
Permanent markers Collapsible wagons Storage bins
Crayons
Glue
New AEDs (10) (automated external defibrillators)
Two new desktop computers
You can drop off donations at the Miami Valley Council BSA located on 7825 Poe Ave. Dayton, OH 45414 between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday-Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday- Friday.
If you have questions, contact Daryl Reck at daryl.reck@scouting.org or 937-278-4285.
Other ways to help:
Looking for an opportunity to volunteer at camp? You’re invited to participate in Beaver Day on April 6 and help get camp ready for the summer camping season! To register, visit bit.ly/mvcbeaverday.
To donate financially, visit Miami Valley Council’s website and join the 2024 Friends of Scouting Campaign at www.miamivalleybsa.org/support.
On April 11, the Miami Valley Council will hold its annual Leadership Breakfast at the Eichelberger Pavilion at Dayton History-Carillon Park. This year the event will honor Bruce Feldman (owner of Economy Linen) and Deb Feldman (CEO of Dayton Children’s Hospital.) The event starts at 7:30 a.m. and will conclude by 9:15 a.m. For more information or to donate or register for the event, visit www.miamivalleybsa.org/ support.
If you are interesting in finding a pack or troop for a young person to join, check out beascout.org.