Washington Scout memorialized with new dining hall

CENTRAL CITY — A deceased Washington resident’s donation has helped fund renovations to a Scouting America dining hall in Central City, Linn County.

Family members said they were proud of the legacy left by Gary McClure, who died in June of 2017 at the age of 62, and was honored as an Eagle Scout in 1970 by the organization then known as the Boy Scouts of America, where he frequently volunteered as an adult.

Judy Wery, a relative of the deceased, said McClure’s estate provided funds to the Hawkeye Area Council, a Scouting America chapter covering Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties.

That money, in turn, was spent renovating the Howard H. Cherry Scout Camp dining hall in Central City, where McClure often volunteered. Wery said the building was upgraded with additional bathrooms, a relocated medic office and a water bottle filling station. A dedication event took place June 18 of this year.

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“In retirement, Gary found joy in the quiet, hands-on work that so many overlook — maintaining the campgrounds, often on a mower, preparing the camp for hundreds of Scouts each summer,” Hawkeye Area Council CEO Sarah Dawson said in her remarks at the dedication ceremony. “Even in passing, Gary continues to serve those he cared about most. His estate gift has allowed us to tackle a critical project — bringing our restroom and dining facilities up to modern standards … It’s not a flashy investment — but it’s the kind of thing that truly matters, and that was Gary’s wish for how these funds were to be used.”

The event was attended by McClure’s family members, as well as Hawkeye Area Council President Dan Clay, Council Vice President of Properties Shaun Vecera, Sarah Dawson, and Les Worley Jr., a member of McClure’s Eagle Scout group.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com

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