D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
December
2008
Scout's Honor
Page: 4In the meantime, Silver City scouting leader Sontag hopes the Yucca Council doesn't move too hastily. "If they're going to cut off Camp Dale Resler, they shouldn't do it until the new place is ready," he says. "You've got to have a summer camp up and running."
The Yucca Council is currently preparing for a capital campaign that would raise funds for both Camp Dale Resler and a Kingston camp, says council chief executive David Jones. "Both those places have their supporters," Jones adds. "It will be two to three years before we could open in summertime at Camp Shiloh, because of all the work that needs to be done there." The bulk of a future Kingston camp would be on the Camp Shiloh land, he suggests, with "maybe some backpack camping" along Percha Creek.
While saying he can't comment on the status of that Percha Creek property for legal reasons, Jones adds, "I will say that Bill Hagan is on the side of the Boy Scouts. He has been very generous, and has the Boy Scouts' needs and wants right at hand."
Hagan himself says of the whole Kingston project, "It's like with them PBR bullriders, I guess. It's been a good journey. It's been a little rough at times, but a good journey."
And if he could turn back the clock, Hagan insists, "I'd do it all again tomorrow. I might not be alive to see it, but sooner or later a bunch of young men will come to that place and enjoy the Gila Wilderness and have a great opportunity to develop their leadership skills."
Pete Fust just doesn't see it that way, not in the creek-hugging acreage attainable only through his property. He shoots a glance down the disputed, rubble-strewn road at the canyon walls that hem in the "Camp Percha" area and barks out his own verdict: "Preposterous," he says. "If you know the property and take one look at this, you'd know this won't work."