Kiwanis Club helps Muskingum Valley Scout Reservation
Donation: Tabitha Patterson, president elect for Kiwanis of Coshocton presented Ed Mulholland, scout executive/executive director of the Boy Scouts of America Muskingum Valley Council, with a check to help with a new construction project at the club’s Aug. 12 meeting. Beacon photo by Josie Sellers
COSHOCTON – Ed Mulholland was all smiles when Tabitha Patterson presented him with a check from Kiwanis of Coshocton.
“This is a great surprise,” said Mulholland, scout executive/executive director of the Boy Scouts of America Muskingum Valley Council.
Kiwanis made the $12,500 donation during its Aug. 12 meeting, which was held at the Muskingum Valley Scout Reservation (MVSR).
“We just completed an awesome summer here,” Mulholland said.
More than 800 scouts from seven different counties spend time at MVSR learning how to canoe, raft, make pottery, work with leather, survive in the wild, be safe in the water, climb towers, repel and much more.
“It’s amazing to watch these kids begin their week all nervous and then by the end of the week be walking around here with such confidence,” Mulholland said. “They develop a lot of self confidence while earning merit badges that introduce them to all sorts of things.”
The MVSR is used all year long for numerous events and this year guests were able to enjoy the expanded central lodge.
“This is a beautiful facility that we spent about half a million dollars on,” Mulholland said.
Tom Sieber is the chairman of the capital campaign that helped make this project possible.
“We needed to expand our central lodge because more than just dining happens here,” he said. “We used to have scouts eating in here, under the picnic shelter and under tents, but now everyone can be under one roof.”
The next project at MVSR will be a central bath/shower facility with year round cabins around it.
“When you have (young) Cub Scouts come out in late fall/early spring in iffy weather you don’t give them the best first glimpse of camping,” Sieber said. “This way they can be under roof and still enjoy the camping experience.”
The donation Kiwanis made will be used to construct one of these cabins.
“You brought them to our attention when you spoke to us one other time and as a board we decided this would be a good fit for our club,” said Patterson, who is president elect of Kiwanis.
After the check presentation the Kiwanis members were invited to tour MVSR and see where these cabins will be constructed.
Kiwanis meets at noon every Wednesday at the Elks on Chestnut Street. Anyone is welcome to come to a meeting and learn more about the club, which focuses on helping children.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Clubs & Organizations
