Hager Park's US Map Feature Restored

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Hager Park USA map from Google Imagery

compiled from various sources

Centered in Hager Park in Jenison, Michigan, is a terrain map of the United States large enough to easily be seen in Google imagery. The outline is obvious, some of the rivers are sculpted in, and even some of the relief features.

The park and playground were built in the 1990s, but the map recently got a facelift in the summer of 2025. This was the work of Eagle Scout Wyatt Nance. He recruited over 75 other people to help with the project. Overgrown with weeds and eroded, the map was hardly discernible any more. Wyatt raised funds, repaired the boundaries, hardened the edges with stone for accessibility, and recreated the borders of the states.

At the very bottom of the picture the oddly shaped structure is a wooden playground, a portion of which is built to look like a ship.

In addition to the map and playground there is a picnic area and about three miles of hiking trails which connect to nearby neighborhoods.

See map of Hager Park
Read WZZM article about Wyatt's project


These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

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Hopkins Boy Scouts Sail from South Haven to Mackinac

based on a news item in the Ludington Daily News

Five teenage boys and two adults docked in Ludington, Monday, on the way to Mackinac City. The boys are all Scouts, participating in a High Adventure, sailing a 32-foot Catalina up Michigan's west coast. They are members of Hopkins Boy Scout Troop 96, and the boat is owned by Jeff Vail, one of the adults on the trip. The other is Jason Apol.

Over the past winter the boys studied navigation, weather, seamanship, and knots. Most already have their Sailing badge, and will complete the Weather badge on this trip. Those skills were tested Sunday, as they predicted the morning fog.

Participants are Garrit Einig, Matt Wila, John Barber, Sam Crouteau, and Sam Apol. All the boys are Star, Life or Eagle Scouts.

A second crew will meet the ship at Mackinac City and sail the boat back to South Haven.

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Manistee Boy Scout Troop 167 Camps Out (A Lot!)

scouts explore off trail (photo by jhy)

by jhy

"How many campouts have you been on?" I asked 12-year-old Tyler.

"Fifteen," he answered casually. Clearly a seasoned veteran of the outdoors. His buddy, Blake, has only been on three, but he only joined Manistee's Boy Scout Troop 167 this past year.

I was quickly informed that the troop camps out once a month. In an era when even Boy Scouts often spend a lot of time on skills that are suited for the digital age, I was heartened to find a group that embraces the outdoor pursuits which are at the root of the Scouting movement.

With special permission from the Manistee National Forest, the group is allowed to camp at the Big M Ski Area each winter. (Camping is not generally allowed on the property). Since this wasn't a "Polar Bear" campout, the boys and their leaders were using the warming shelter. The wood stove had heated the building nicely, and when I arrived some scouts were cooking or eating breakfast, and others were rolling up their sleeping bags.

Some of the scouts would be completing requirements for their Camping merit badge, and others would make progress on the Wilderness Survival badge. I wondered if the survival skills required were really basic ones, and was told that some of the requirements are: to demonstrate three ways to start fire without matches, to be able to build an emergency shelter with little or no environmental impact, and to understand things like weather, signalling, and making decisions based on life-preserving priorities. Sounds like good stuff to me!

I also spoke with the oldest boy in the troop, 17-year-old Brian. He's a Life Scout, working toward Eagle. His project included collecting over a ton of food for the Salvation Army, and the troop is sorting and boxing it.

Expecting to hear that he'd been a member since Cub Scouts, it was interesting to learn that he joined at the Webelos level- for 10-year-olds. He just thought it would be something fun to do. Brian said that Scouting introduced him to what the outdoors has to offer. He'll be attending Michigan Tech next year with studies in Environmental Science and Plant Biotechnology. He credits Scouting for developing his interest in the natural world. He's also a member of the Order of the Arrow.

playing Bananagrams (photo by jhy)

After breakfast, some boys headed outside, while others enjoyed the warm shelter and played games or visited. The troop has 24 members, of which eight boys came on this campout. Usually, the participation is 14-16 members.

I came away encouraged to see young people comfortable in the outdoors, even in winter.

Led by Scoutmaster Klaus Kutschke, this active troop is looking for area girls who are interested in Adventure Scouting. At this level both boys and girls can participate.



See Polar Bears in Manistee
See BSA Troop 167
Contact Klaus at 723-7766

These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

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Okemos Scout Troop Takes Early Spring Hike at Nordhouse

blown down trees at Nordhouse Dunes (photo from Troop 125)

submitted by Mike Fila, Assistant Scoutmaster

Troop 125, from Okemos Michigan, took their first trip to the Nordhouse Dunes. They have already decided that it won't be their last.

It was also the first hike of the season for the Scouts. They headed north to the Dunes Friday afternoon, and although they made good time they still had to set up in the dark. Since they had a bunch of new Scouts they decided to stay in the Lake Michigan Recreation Area campground and have a nice day hike the next morning. It was clear and chilly but a wonderful night for star gazing.

After a quick breakfast the group headed out. They planned to hike the coast, cut across to Nordhouse Lake, have some lunch and loop back. All went well until they came across a large blow down area. It was a huge tangle of downed trees that was impassable. They could see it from the ridge trail but they were hoping that the trail back would be farther inland. They tried a few different routes to no avail.

The group turned around and re-traced their original route. It was a perfect day for hiking and all had a great time. When it started raining at around 5:00 A.M. they decided to head home.

The boys really enjoyed it. The troop has about 30 boys who love to backpack and canoe. Recent trips include the Boundary Waters, Isle Royale and Algonquin. This summer they plant to head to Pictured Rocks to walk from Munising to Grand Marias. Polar Bears in Manistee for another Scout outing

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Polar Bears in Manistee

Polar Bear candidate (photo by J Young)

by Joan H. Young, a GOTC exclusive

Polar Bears are not endangered in Manistee. Boy Scout Troop 167 was adding several more to the ranks this weekend. Manistee Polar Bears are not white and furred with four feet. They are Scouts who have stayed outside for a minimum of 20 hours, and cooked over an open fire, when the temperature is below freezing. Troy, tending the fire here, was determined to earn the Polar Bear Badge this weekend despite having a cold. Encouragement from his buddies and leaders practically guaranteed success.

sledding in supplies (photo by J Young)

Nine boys and four leaders were camped at Big M ski area this weekend. (The area is not open for camping in general, but special permission was granted to the troop.) There is always plenty to do around camp, no matter what the season. Bringing supplies from the vehicles can actually be easier in the winter when a sled can be used. Other boys were chopping wood, shaking snow from the tents, shoveling, or taking damp sleeping bags inside the warming shelter to dry them out.

winter quarters (photo by J Young)

Scoutmaster Klaus Kutschke explained that the troop does a winter campout each year. With justifiable pride he revealed that the troop has awarded Eagle rank to 18 boys since 2000. Eagle is the highest rank a Boy Scout can attain. "The lessons in ethical living last a lifetime," Kutschke stated. "Winter camping builds character, too," he added. Following the Scout Oath and Laws have been consistent goals throughout the decades of Scouting, as well as building leadership skills. Assistant Scoutmaster Brian Postema, and two scouting moms were also serving as counselors for the weekend.

Nick & John make scrambled eggs (photo by J Young)

The campers ranged in age from 11 to 16. Most of the boys had previously earned their Polar Bear. These veterans were cooking in the warming shelter on propane stoves. At first the older boys started the potatoes. When asked why they weren't letting the younger ones cook they answered, "We don't want breakfast burned!" But soon Nick and John were breaking eggs into a pan. "Hey, don't forget the milk!" called one as the other headed for the stove. "Oh, yeah," was the reply. Scouts work together. Soon they were scooping eggs and hash browns into their mouths, and then cleaning the dishes and putting away the stoves (with a little reminder from Postema).

The chores were soon done and the whoops and hollering began as the boys took to the steep slopes at Big M. Snowboards, saucers, sleds, and even an inner tube threaded a track through the trees. A couple of fresh inches of snow over the remaining icy base after the warm week made conditions very good for sliding. "There's a great jump at the end," said one snowboarder. These young fellows may very well be headed for leadership roles as adults, but Scouting is also about times for having fun.

Other activities included snowshoeing, fire building, wood chopping, and much discussion of progress toward ranks. I was mightily heartened to see young people enjoying a weekend outdoors, totally oblivious to the weather.

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Owasippe Court Appeal Still Stands

from a news release of The Muskegon Chronicale, "Blue Lake: Owasippe move a good first step," by Lynn Moore, Nov 13, 2008

Despite the recent good news about the withdrawal of the purchase agreement for Camp Owasippe (see Owasippe Saved But Not Preserved), mixed signals from the Chicago Area Scout Council (CAC) continue. It has been revealed that the Boy Scout Council has not actually dropped the appeal of the court decision that upheld the right of Blue Lake Township to refuse to rezone the property.

It appears that the suit which was dropped was only an ancillary case about costs, not appeal of Judge William C. Marietti’s ruling against them. Chuck Dobbins, executive with the CAC says that the council wants to do things the right way. But newly re-elected township supervisor, Donald Studaven, points out that they are continuing the challenge of the judge’s decision.

Without a doubt the CAC intends to slim down the size of the camp, but everyone agrees that there need to be more parties at the table, working together, to decide how best to accomplish this task.

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Owasippe Saved But Not Preserved

Scout musician Rich Patenaude plays "To The Colors" at Camp Blackhawk a division of Camp Owasippe photo courtesy of The Scarlet Sassafras

by Joan H. Young

"Owasippe is saved but not yet preserved" was the opening banner in the newest issue of The Scarlet Sassafras the newsletter created to inform readers about the health and well-being of Camp Owasippe. (See Oldest Operating Boy Scout Camp Still Fighting for Its Life)

After a long fight, and victory in the court system, the sale of the oldest operating Boy Scout Camp in the United States was blocked. The Holland developer and prospective purchaser, Ben Smith III, had been planning to appeal the decision of Judge William C. Marietti. (See Bench Trial Continues for Camp Owasippe and Blue Lake Township) The Judge ultimately decided, in March 2008, in favor of Blue Lake Township, Michigan, which had declined to rezone the property so that the sale could proceed. Smith intended to build 1200 homes on the property in a rural township with no water or sewer infrastructure.

Now, Smith has decided to withdraw his offer and no longer pursue the battle in the courts. Scouters across the nation are breathing a collective sigh of relief. The battle has cost not only $1 million dollars for the Chicago Area Council, and as much for rural Blue Lake Township, but many relationships within the Scout organization have been damaged.

"Much work still needs to be done, but at least it seems we're on the right path. A million dollars of scout money was spent on this adventure and incredible hard feelings were created on both sides of Lake Michigan," was the comment of a Chicago resident.

Efforts at rebuilding relationships seem to have begun. As part of the agreement the CAC has said that because of the outpouring of support for camping programs at the Owasippe Scout Reservation from its many constituencies, they will determine the right size for the camp and rebuild a world-class camping facility for the Chicago Scouts. Ben Smith, represented through Benny V Partners, states that what he wanted all along was to preserve some of the unique places on the property and he is happy to know that will be accomplished.

Ron Kulak, editor of The Scarlet Sassafras continued, "All involved should take great pride and solace in YOUR great accomplishment. This was done not only for future generations of Scout campers but also for those who came before us and who could not be here now for this moment of achievement. They gave us strength and inspiration and are with us in spirit."

The celebration will begin with the Owasipalooza Pizza Night at the end of November. Discussion is likely to center on what will now be the future of the 4800-acre camp. The Chicago Area Council has consistently maintained that the camp is in decline, and unprofitable, despite continued and increasing attendance throughout the summer sessions. Resizing of the area managed for the camp is certainly likely.

A non-profit organization, the Owasippe Outdoor Education Center, was founded in 2006 in the hopes of purchasing the camp and preserving it intact. The OOEC would continue to provide the Scouts use of the property but also increase use with year-round, family oriented activities and camping. Donations to the OOEC, and the Owasippe Forever Fund are possible at the organization’s web site.

Words from the Owasippe Chant seem an especially appropriate final thought. "Sing out loud and strong with a heart that's brave and free. Let us sing a joyful carefree song. Sons of Owasippe."

See The Scarlet Sassafras
See Owasippe Outdoor Education Center
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

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Cub Scouts Slide in Traverse City

Hundreds of Cub Scouts, with brightly painted cardboard sleds swooped down the hills at East Silver Lake Park last weekend for an event known as Winter Wonderland. Snow sculpting, sled racing, snowmobile rides, and dog sled rides kept the kids busy. Hot dogs, chili and hot drinks fueled the fun.

Rockets and outhouses, fire engines, canoes, and even Sponge Bob carreened down the slopes, often ending in great pileups which the boys seemed to enjoy as much as the sledding.

Most of the cardboard sleds were built by teams of boys. One parent pointed out what a great life skill this was for them to learn- to have to work together.

The event is the largest all-volunteer event that the Cub Scouts have in northern Michigan. It takes fifty voluteers, and over a thousand man-hours to make the event happen. This is always a challenge for groups whose constituency grows through the program in just a few years.

Winter Wonderland was launched by one scout dad, Lee Cobb, three years ago. Cobb has three boys, so he expects to be around, volunteering, for a while yet.

"There's not a lot of stuff for Cub Scouts to do in the winter and this kind of fills in," Cobb noted.

from Grand Traverse Herald, "Scouts pack Winter Wonderland", Jan 30, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

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