The Oct. 13, 2010 Grand Marais City Council meeting began with a presentation by Steve Schug of the U.S. Forest Service. Schug, who works out of the Grand Marais and Tofte stations, said he has been talking with the Boy Scouts to prepare for an upcoming Order of the Arrow project scheduled for Cook County next June.
Schug said there will be between 500 and 700 Scouts plus their leaders who will volunteer their time and labor for a week to complete several projects including improvements to the Superior Hiking Trail, construction of a singletrack bike trail in the Pincushion and Tofte areas, and upgrading campsites in the Vegetable Lakes chain. Schug said the group is the “crème de la crème” of the Boy Scouts, and will include both boys and girls between the ages of 14-21, in addition to many adult supervisors. The Order of the Arrow, he said, is designed to develop leadership qualities among its members.
“This is quite an economic benefit for Grand Marais,” said Schug. “It’s also a good opportunity for the town to roll out the red carpet for them, and provide a positive welcome.” Schug said he also regards the Scout’s visit as a “legacy project,” because the participants will want to come back to the area in the years ahead—perhaps with their families—to see their work and how the projects they worked on have progressed.
Mayor Sue Hakes said the city would do its best to welcome the visitors and work with the group, and council agreed that it would be a positive event for both the city and the young volunteers.
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