Gerber Scout Reservation

Gerber Scout Reservation (GSR), located in Twin Lake, Michigan is a resident camp owned and operated by the Michigan Crossroads Council of the Boy Scouts of America. It began operation in 1950 and had its first official summer camp program in 1951. The Original property was purchased through a gift of 275 shares from Dan Gerber President of the famous baby food company.^[1] The reservation operates two camps; the Boy Scout Camp Gerber Scout Camp and the Cub Scout Camp Betty Ford Cub Scout and Webelos Adventureland as well as numerous year round weekend programming outside of the summer months.

Geography

Gerber Scout Reservation lies within the boundaries of the Manistee National Forest in Blue Lake Township, Muskegon County, Michigan and is approximately 800 acres. the property is boarded on the north by Owasippe Road. The Blue Lake Township Hall and Fire Department lie within a quarter mile from the camps main entrance. On the South and East Boarders of the property Gerber boarders Owasippe Scout Reservation. The property contains four lakes; Big Britton, Little Britton, Mayo, Grub and shares Mud Lake with Owasippe. Gerber contains wetlands, oak and pine forests, and several areas of Michigan prairie.

History

In 1949 the Timber Trails Council Board decided that it was time to find a larger site for local scouts to go camping. Their current site Camp Merit was only 17 acres and bordered on all sides by other area summer camps with no room to expand. In 1950 the board purchased the original 80 acres of Gerber Scout Reservation that included most of Britton Lake. This purchase was made on credit but later paid off by the donation of stocks from Dan Gerber. The site was originally called Camp Britton or Britton Lake Camp but was renamed in honor of Dan Gerber and christened Gerber Scout Reservation in 1951. Between 1950 and 1952 the first buildings were completed on the property. Bruce Cleveland Lodge the original Rangers House, now used as the Reservation Director's house, was completed early in 1951. Evans Lodge, the original Boy Scout Camp Dining Hall, was completed in 1951 with a generous donation from the Elks Lodge. The Ranger Station, a large maintenance building used to service the camps many maintenance and building projects, was believed completed in the first few years of the camp opening. Tryon Lodge, a log cabin used for staff housing in the summer and troop rentals and events during the year, was finished in 1952.^[2]

Chaffee Bunkhouse was officially dedicated Roger B. Chaffee and expanded to memorialize the sacrifice he gave to science and the space program. The Lodge features a photo of Mr. Chaffee as well as news articles about him framed in the common area.

In 2008 the Reservation built a replica of Fort Clatsop, the fort that Lewis and Clark built when they reached the pacific. In 2012 they were recognized by the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation with the Meritorious Achievement Award for its construction and use in youth programming.^[3]

Resident Camping

Gerber Scout Reservation has two Resident camps, Gerber Scout Camp that serves Boy Scouts and Betty Ford Adventureland that serves Cub Scouts. In 2010 and 2011 Gerber also operated the DeVos Family Venture Base, however in 2011 when the Gerber Scout Reservation became a part of the Michigan Crossroads Council it was not selected to continue running its Venturing Program. The buildings from the Venture base have since been used as staff housing for the Boy Scout and Cub Scout Resident Camps.

Gerber Scout Camp (GSC) - Boy Scout Resident Camp

Gerber Scout Camp serves Boy Scouts and is currently accredited through the Boy Scout National Camp Accreditation Process.

Gerber Scout camp has gone through major facilities improvements starting in 2002 and continuing through today.^[4] Some of theses were the addition of a Climbing Tower and a High and Low Ropes Course. In the middle of these improvements the Dining Hall collapsed on December 24, 2008.^[5] In 2009 the camp used a 500 Person Tent as its Dining Hall. The Centennial Dining Hall built was then built and opened in 2010 and seats 720 people.^[6]

Program Areas^[7]

Each program area is where Scouts participate in activities with each area having a theme or purpose to interest Scouts. The area is listed with the year it was introduced to the camp and to whom it was dedicated to if known.

• Aquatics (Original)
• Performing Arts (2012)
• Honor Ground (2004, Meritt Lamb)
• Scoutcraft (Original)
• Power Cut (2011)
• Eagle Quest (2004)
• Handicraft (Original)
• Rifle & Shotgun Shooting (Original)
• Climbing (unknown)
• COPE, High and Low Ropes Course (2005)
• Ecology (unknown)
• Takachsin Longhouse (2004)
• Technology Centre (2008)
• Skilled Trades (2013)

Betty Ford Adventureland (BFA) - Cub Scout Resident Camp

Betty Ford Adventureland runs two distinct programs. One for Cub Scouts ranked Tiger through Bear that consists of three days and two night of camping. The second is for Webelos and is four days and three nights of camping. Adventureland features a tent village where all of the Cub Scouts and Leaders camp together with a Showerhouse,Trading Post and Health Lodge right in the village.

References