Thanks to the hospitality of Bonnie and Tom McCloskey, some 70 Boy Scouts and 30 adult volunteers participated in the annual Camp-o-ree event on McCloskey property in Kealia last weekend.
The Scouts were given an opportunity to camp in an isolated area on the mauka side of Kuhio Highway in Kealia owned by McCloskey and Company, which encompasses several entities owned by Tom and Bonnie McCloskey and family.
“We are so grateful to Tom and Bonnie McCloskey and the entire McCloskey and Company for helping us plan our event, and especially for welcoming the Boy Scouts on their beautiful, pristine property,” said Kaipo Kealalio, Kaua‘i Boy Scouts senior district executive.
“The environment was perfect for the Camp-o-ree, as it allowed the young men to utilize their new skills all in one place,” said Kealalio.
“And, they all had a fantastic time.”
The Camp-o-ree is an event where Boy Scouts ages 12 through 18 come together for an overnight outing to apply skills they have learned throughout the year.
Activities this year included fishing, camping, hiking, as well as Scout and leadership games and events.
The Scouts also enjoyed working on their cooking skills by cooking rice in a paper bag, and cooking eggs on sticks.
“Camp-o-ree is a time where the Scouts’ hard work culminates to create an event filled with fun and fellowship,” said Kealalio.
“It is programs and activities like these that help the youth develop into responsible, well-rounded adults.”
McCloskey and Company encompasses several entities, including the Kealia Kai development and Northshore Nursery on Kaua‘i, and Cornerstone Holdings in Aspen, Colo.
Its mission is to develop projects and businesses responsibly, steward the land, and leave a positive, lasting legacy, based on Kaua‘i’s community needs and resource gaps.
Through the McCloskey Family Charitable Foundation, McCloskey and Company funds a variety of projects aligned with the company mission and which address specific community concerns.
The Boy Scouts encompass more than 1,100 youth on Kaua‘i, and hundreds more adult volunteers. They are part of the Aloha Council, which includes all of Hawai‘i, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Marianas, Palau, American Samoa and Guam.
The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participatory citizenship, and to develop personal fitness.
Its mission is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
For more information about the Boy Scouts of America on Kaua‘i, please call Kealalio, 823-8809.
