Recently, I became aware of the fact that this Boy Scout Camp, Kilworth, located in Federal Way, was closing. It appears there had been a decision to close this twenty-five acre camp after years of servicing the region’s boys and girl scouts.

I have had the honor of doing some volunteer work there over the years. My wife and I have visited the site and enjoyed the Scout activities a few times over the years and have been a small part of the volunteer work done at the camp.

I found the property to be well-treed and full of trails combing throughout the camp, with many campsites, buildings, outdoor bathrooms and a place for archery. There is even a bridge just off the road for easy access over a ravine, and at the end of the windy road there is a large log structure with an inner-beamed-type ceiling. This building (donated) was built for the Scouts in the 1930s and is in good condition, with the exception of a lot of moss built up on the shake roof. This building has a working kitchen and large assembly room for Scout functions that has serviced the Scouts for over 80 years. In front of the lodge and a bit closer to the water is a large firepit amphitheater built into the side of a hill where a firepit sits at the bottom of upper rows of seats circle the pit up the hill.

Recently, my wife and I attended the 80th anniversary gathering at the lodge, which included a dinner and some old Scout movies covering the activities at Camp Kilworth since the 1930s. The movie, which to my surprise, showed an attending senior who was the last living Pony Express rider at the time, a senior of 99 years visiting the camp for the activities. A man who was part of America’s history who supported the Scouts was there with his horse.

Camp Kilworth has a long history of Scouts in Federal Way. My understanding is that the camp property was donated for the Scouts and their activities and that the buildings erected were also donated by the local people of Federal Way and adjacent communities. This camp has served many boys and girls growing up that have participated in Scouts. The number of kids that have been to Camp Kilworth are in the thousands.

Now, today, this may be the last time the camp is going to function as a Scout camp, as the people in charge have decided to close Camp Kilworth. When I first heard this, I was stunned. I asked myself, “How can this be?” Camp Kilworth was made by donations of work and money and other precious gifts over the years. Even the land is tax-free for the Scouts and their activities. The closing of the camp would mean no upkeep for the buildings, which would in time be ruined by weathering. The costs in the future if the camp was ever re-opened would be expensive in bringing the lodge and other structures back to the condition they are currently in. Weather and time can be very destructive to buildings with no maintenance and care.

Looking up the fees on my computer, Scouts attending summer camp activities pay no small fee. It is usually over $100 dollars. Usually the boys and girls work side jobs and/or, with the help of their parents or grandparents, save enough money to go to Scout camps. This money apparently is not enough to keep Camp Kilworth open. So my question is, how can they close this camp and what do they do with the money? Even if not all of the Scouts attend, the money collected is significant.

I believe that the Seattle area and the region hold the largest number of Scouts, approximately 17, 000 members. Camp Kilworth’s location is close to all those families residing in the Puget Sound region and Seattle. The decision to close this 25-acre camp and eliminate this camp for the Scouts for their activities and let the buildings on the site waste away, I believe, is wrong.

Paul Gulliford, Federal Way