Camp Lowden, BSA

Chuck Walneck

Charles “Chuck” Walneck has been actively involved with Scouting and Camp Lowden since 1978. Over the years he and his family have contributed both financially as well as through countless hours of manpower and project coordination. In addition, he has been involved with Wood Badge and served as course director for three courses. Chuck recalls,

While I was taking Wood Badge in 1978 I was told I had to be affiliated with a Boy Scout troop in order to work my ticket. I offered my assistance to a troop but they had enough leaders, so I started my own troop, Oakwood Hills Troop 161.

Summer camp was always a blast. In 1978 my OA calling-out was messed up when they forgot to tap me out! After the committee chairman advised the staff, they took my troop back to the council ring and they conducted the calling-out ceremony and tapped me out.

Every year starting in 1979, I always engaged the adults who attended summer camp in some camp project. These projects included painting buildings, building a raft at the waterfront, constructing the ramp to the main lodge, or whatever was needed.

He went on to rewrite the Junior Leader Training syllabus for the East Central Region and later served as regional Junior Leader Training chairman for three years. He served as a member of the national Advancement Committee from 1982-1990 (chairman from 1988 to 1990). During this time he was also on the Boy Scout faculty at the Philmont Training Center, where he was part of the faculty for Advancement and/or the Older Boy Program sessions. He states,

While I was a member of the national Advancement Committee, I helped develop the concept called ‘The First Class Emphasis’ within our troop for the purpose of extending the tenure of boys in Scouting. ‘Scouting’ magazine did an article of our troop. This concept was accepted and was introduced nationally in 1988 as part of the New Troop Operations. T.J. Van Houten (a professional Scouting adviser) and I were co-authors of the new First Class requirements found in the 1990 Boy Scout Handbook. Almost all summer camps programs picked up on something they named as the First Class Express, First Class Fast Start, etc.

Others in the Walneck family are also involved in Scouting. Chuck’s wife Judi has been registered in Scouting since 1975 and is still registered as a troop committee member and merit badge counselor. She has coordinated all of the troop’s high adventure trips and coordinated parent nights at Camp Lowden for 19 years.

Chuck, Judi, and son Chris were very much a part of the pool renovations and showerhouse addition in the 1990s, as well as the expansion of the dining hall in the early 2000s. In addition, Chris provided funds for the archery range in 2000 which is dedicated in honor of the Chris Walneck Family. Chris has also provided funding for renovations to the council ring.