Boy Scouts of America

The Mount Baker Council of Boy Scouts (Boy Scouts of America) has been awarded $10,000 from Foothills Toyota and Toyota Matching Funds for building a new Challenging Outdoor Program Experience (C.O.P.E.) course to complement an existing indoor rock climbing facility at Camp Black Mountain in Whatcom County.

The indoor rock climbing wall was completed in 2007 and named, "Nathan's Wall" after Specialist Nathan Nakis who was killed in the line of duty in 2003. The Nakis family formed a committee and raised over $100,000 in six months’ time to build a climbing wall in remembrance and as a memorial to their son and his love of nature and rock climbing.

The C.O.P.E. project will provide a confidence building, team-work and leadership training opportunity to youth and adults of area counties. Boy Scouts of America will promote use of the facility to groups outside of scouting as well. Skagit Community Foundation distributed the funds.

Other donations have been made by individuals, Scout supporters and small businesses to secure materials to begin the project. The project was approved by Council Key 3.