Hawai‘i Island’s only Scout camp is at risk of being sold. We are calling on Aloha Council to pause all property actions and work with community stakeholders to preserve Camp Honoka‘ia for our keiki.

As a Scout leader, a parent, and a member of the Hawai‘i Island community, I have seen firsthand the impact Camp Honoka‘ia has on our youth. It is the one place where Scouts from Hilo, Waimea, Kona, Kohala, Puna, and Ka‘ū all come together to learn leadership, outdoor skills, confidence, and connection to this land and each other.

Our keiki deserve the same access to Scouting experiences as youth on O‘ahu. Selling Honoka‘ia would strip families across Hawai‘i Island of opportunities that can never be replaced — disproportionately affecting those who already face the greatest barriers to participation. That is not who we are, and it is not the future our Scouts deserve.

For many of us, this camp is where our children built their first fires, led their first teams, faced their fears, and discovered who they are capable of becoming. We cannot lose the place where those transformations happen.

We, the undersigned Scouts, parents, alumni, volunteers, donors, and community supporters of Hawai‘i Island Scouting, respectfully urge the Aloha Council Executive Board to pause all actions toward the sale, lease, or joint venture of Camp Honoka‘ia and instead engage in a collaborative, community-driven planning process for its preservation and revitalization.

Camp Honoka‘ia is the only dedicated Scout camp on Hawai‘i Island, and has been a vital training ground for outdoor leadership, character development, and culturally rooted Scouting programs for generations. It is uniquely positioned — both in location and in purpose — to serve young people who would otherwise lack access to these formative outdoor experiences.

Removing this resource will permanently and disproportionately harm island youth, limiting opportunities for rank advancement, leadership development, camping experience, and community service.

We ask the Aloha Council to honor the core values of the Scout Oath and Law — especially loyalty, helpfulness, thrift, and reverence for the legacy entrusted to us — by committing to the following:

Full transparency through a published financial and utilization report for Camp Honoka‘ia, including maintenance costs, revenues, membership impacts, and historical usage data.
A moratorium on any listing, sale, or development agreement until Hawai‘i Island volunteers and families have been fully included in decision-making and have had reasonable time to present viable alternatives.
Immediate exploration of a Friends of Camp Honoka‘ia partnership and other collaborative stewardship models that can reduce Council expenses through fundraising, grants, volunteer support, program expansion, and public/private partnerships.
Equitable representation of neighbor-island leadership in all property-related committees, decisions, and planning processes to ensure that Scouting remains strong across all islands — not just one.

Camp Honoka‘ia represents more than land and buildings — it is tradition, community, identity, and opportunity. Once lost, it cannot be replaced.

We stand ready to work with the Council to create a financially sustainable future for Camp Honoka‘ia that strengthens Scouting statewide.

The youth of Hawai‘i Island deserve nothing less.

With respect, unity, and aloha,

Hawai‘i Island Scout Leaders & Parents

#SaveCampHonokaia