SUMMIT STATION - Boy scouts residing in Schuylkill County or northern Berks County will no longer have to travel to Reading for registration, administrative services, equipment or uniforms as the Hawk Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America is expanding its retail store and employing two full-time council positions for the Black Rock District at the Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation.
"Our new center will allow us to expand our service to the people who make scouting possible for thousands of young men and women in Schuylkill County-our volunteers and parents," Bill Garret, scout executive and CEO of the Hawk Mountain Council, said. "We also want to reintroduce the public to our camp, which provides more than outdoor recreation."
Earlier this year, David Muldowney, Pine Grove, was named district director and chief operations officer for the Black Rock District of Schuylkill County and the Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation. He will start the position on Friday.
"Scouting allows young men and women to achieve success in an environment that is challenging, educational and healthy," Muldowney said. "Scouting and the youth programs at Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation, a world-class venue, provides that opportunity."
Muldowney will provide support and leadership to the volunteers of the Black Rock District which serves over 1,5000 young men and women each year. He will also oversee the $1.1 million camping and outdoor program operation at the Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation that employs over 300 seasonal and part-time employees and serves over 7,000 scouts, students, and other non-profit organizations and corporate clients year round.
Muldowney has experience as a scouting volunteer in the Transatlantic Council in Europe as well as in the Hawk Mountain Council. He has more than 25 years of service in the United States Army, retiring as a chief warrant officer 4 in 2008. After his military career, he served as a mentor to at-risk youth and families in the area.
Lisa Fredericks, a Clamtown native, will serve as the program operations specialist for the district. Fredericks has been involved in scouting for a number of years as a volunteer and employee. She is also the mother of an Eagle Scout and will be responsible for customer support at the center.
The Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation is also expanding its retail store to provide both scout members and the general public with a place to purchase outdoor equipment, program materials and uniforms. Currently still under construction, completion of the store expansion is set for Friday.
Initial hours will be 1 to 5 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Appointments are also available. Hours will expand based on customer needs and feedback. Phone support is also available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 570-754-7552 or 610-926-3406.
The Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation is a 700-acre facility that already includes two dining facilities, a conference center, two pools, a science center with a planetarium, a 17-acre lake, a computer lab, a challenge course and rappelling tower that is available for corporate and school training and team building.
The Hawk Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America has partnered with over 250 community organizations to provide programs in leadership, citizenship and personal fitness to over 8,000 young men and women in Schuylkill, Berks and Carbon counties through the dedication of over 3,5000 adult volunteers and friends of scouting.
Scouts and volunteers provide more than 350,000 hours of community service each year, including community projects completed by Eagle Scout candidates and sponsoring on of the largest food drives in the area.
For more information about the Boy Scouts of America or to learn how to become a member, visit www.BeAScout.org.