Camp Pigott's grand reopening

In almost 20 years, Scott Findlay has never seen a Boy Scout camp where he worked be overhauled and renovated.

In today's age of tight finances, many Boy Scout councils across America are consolidating, and that often means camp closures, said Findlay, the camp director for the Chief Seattle Council.

That's why the reopening of the Council's Camp Omache — renamed Camp Pigott for its largest benefactor — is a rare treat, Findlay said. It's one that he credits to Charles Pigott, former CEO of Paccar and well-known Puget Sound philanthropist.

"Property management is typically one of the most expensive propositions you can get involved with," Findlay said. "So we're in a very rare position to be opening a new camp."

Pigott, a former National Council president for the Boy Scouts of America, led the charge with an undisclosed donation to the Chief Seattle Council.

"Camp Omache had been shut down for about 12 years," Pigott said Monday while inspecting the new buildings. "I think what they've done here is excellent."

Following the donation, the Seattle Boy Scouts began a major fund-raiser that eventually collected about $3 million, said Mark Hunter, the Seattle Scouts' administrative and marketing director. Pigott personally called acquaintances and business leaders to ask them for donations.

Part of the money was used to rebuild the 150-acre, 30-year-old camp on Lake Hughes, northeast of Monroe. Camp Pigott boasts a new main building housing a kitchen, cafeteria, boat storage, trading post and infirmary. New restrooms were built in each building inside the camp. The restrooms include hot and cold water as well as flush toilets, Findlay said.

In addition, tent platforms were built, a new ropes course and climbing tower were constructed, but most important was the addition of a drain field and sewage system.

When camping begins next month, as many as 300 Scouts and adults at one time will use the facilities until the final week, when about 1,500 people will be at the camp. Most will come from King County and the northern Olympic Peninsula, but some also will come from surrounding Boy Scout councils in Washington. The camp also is offered to non-Scouting organizations as well.

"I think the Boy Scouts is one of the most important sources of good values this country has," said Pigott.

The Pigott family has spread its wealth — accumulated from the multinational truck-manufacturing company that now includes Kenworth, Peterbilt, DAF and Foden nameplates — throughout the Puget Sound region. Among the beneficiaries of the family's largess has been Seattle University and Stanford University.

The William Pigott building, which houses Seattle University's School of Business and Economics, is named for Charles Pigott's grandfather, and was built in 1957. Charles Pigott funded the building's renovations in 1993. Paccar also has supported the university's school of science and engineering by funding a professorship of mechanical engineering, said Sarah Finney, the university's development director.

Pigott also has served or is serving as a trustee or director for the United Way of King County, The Seattle Times, the Governor's Economic Council, Boeing, Chevron, Stanford University and many others.

"It's not very often you can have a capital campaign like this," Hunter said. "Everything needs to be just right, and all of those things happened this time."

Christopher Schwarzen: 425-745-7811 or cschwarzen@seattletimes.com