Four South Sound Boy Scout camps have closed, may be logged

SEATTLE (AP) _ Four Boy Scout camps in the South Sound have been closed and some are now being logged to raise money.

Our news partners The Seattle Times report the Pacific Harbors Council of Boy Scouts of America has experienced a 40 percent drop in membership over the past decade. At the same times, the council's expenses to run the camps and other activities have gone up.

Ralph Voelker, scout executive for the council says they don't want to be closing camps, but the council's financial problems have been building for years. They need to repay a $650,000 loan. He says almost all of that money was borrowed because of losses at the camps.

Closed are Camp Curran south of Parkland, Pierce County; Camp Delezenne near Elma, Grays Harbor County; Camp Hahobas in Tahuya, Mason County, on Hood Canal; and Camp Kilworth in Federal Way. That leaves Camp Thunderbird, west of Olympia, open.