Baiting Hollow Scout Camp Celebrates 100 Years with April Centennial Event

A century after opening on 200 acres between Sound Avenue and Long Island Sound, Camp Baiting Hollow in Calverton will mark its 100th anniversary with a daylong public celebration on Saturday, April 25, running from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with a rain date of Sunday, April 26.

The Suffolk County Council's Scouting America chapter has organized the event, officially titled the BHSC Centennial Camporee, at the camp's address of 1774 Sound Ave. The program is open to Scouts, Cub Scouts, Venturers, Explorers, parents, leaders, Scouters, and alumni. Planned activities include archery, rifle and BB shooting, climbing, fishing, patrol challenges, heritage crafts, museum access, games, inflatables, and hikes to the beach. Lunch and dinner will be provided; units staying overnight will also receive Saturday breakfast.

Overnight participants will not be camping at Baiting Hollow itself. Transportation will be provided from Schiff Scout Reservation in Wading River, where campsite assignments will be arranged by organizers. Units do not need to reserve a campsite at Schiff separately. The full organizer listing covers April 24 and 25, indicating overnight logistics at Schiff begin the evening before the main public event.

The centennial year kicked off on January 3 with a recognition ceremony honoring Steve Barile, a longtime camp staffer credited with 24 years of service. Baiting Hollow Alumni Association co-chairs Chris Philp and Ryan Person presented the honor. Barile, a 1998 William Floyd High School graduate, is currently the technical director at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson. He is also an Eagle Scout who earned Vigil, the highest honor awarded by Scouting's national honor society, the Order of the Arrow, and previously served as chief of Mastic Beach Ambulance Company.

A Leader's Guide is available for download through the Suffolk County Council's Scouting America website. For more information about the April 25 event, contact Brendan O'Reilly at 631-513-9175. The camp location can also be reached at (631) 727-1614, and the Suffolk County Council office at (631) 924-7000.