Baiting Hollow Boy Scout Camp Hosting Power Crew Workers

Do a good turn daily.

The phrase is the slogan of the Boy Scouts of America -- and in Baiting Hollow, Scouting volunteers are putting words into action.

The Boy Scouts of America, Suffolk County Council, has opened its camp in Baiting Hollow to power crew workers who have traveled from across the country to Long Island to help restore electricity to Suffolk County after Hurricane Sandy

Currently, approximately 200 workers are being hosted at Suffolk County Council’s Baiting Hollow Scout Camp, located on Sound Avenue in Calverton.

The dining hall, which feeds thousands of Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts every year, is serving as a combination of barracks and mess hall for workers. Crews from as far away as California are staying at the camp, where they are served hot meals, can take hot showers, and sleep in clean beds. The camp is also providing laundry service for the crews. 

Scouting volunteers and camp staff are working to ensure the camp remains open and available to the visiting workers as long as necessary. The camp serves as a welcome resource, with many area hotels already booked to capacity by scores of residents without power.

In addition, the Suffolk County Council is also coordinating food and clothing drives with volunteers throughout the county in preparation for the holidays and upcoming winter, Scouting officials said.

Every year, the Boy Scouts of America Scouting for Food drive collects and distributes over 80,000 pounds of food to local pantries to help feed the hungry. This year, the plan is to double those efforts in anticipation of the needs of food pantries and kitchens following Hurricane Sandy.  

Residents that would like to assist in the effort, or would like to volunteer, should contact the Suffolk County Council, Boy Scouts of America at 631-924-7000, ext. 110.