Camp Pioneer gets a new name and new life

By Pulse Staff

Over the second weekend of February, Pioneer Campgrounds hosted 22 scouts and scouters from Hope, Arkansas. The scouts of Troop 5, led by leaders Karen Smith and Dr. Lester Sitzes III, spent the weekend learning the aviation merit badge taught by the owner of Pioneer Campgrounds, Matt Foust. The scouts spent part of their day at the Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport at Runway

Aviation with Greg McDonald learning how to preflight an airplane.

Matt Foust was a longtime staff member of Camp Pioneer and was willing to donate his time and money to provide the youth of Arkansas and Texas with a similar experience that was provided to him many years ago. He is an airline pilot for Southwest

Airlines and a federal law enforcement officer trained by the Federal Air Marshal Service. He is based in Denver, Colorado, and lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife Christine and son Cruz.

Camp Pioneer was the name of the local Boy Scouts of America camp in Hatfield, Arkansas, for over 100 years. Due to financial hardships and economic decline, the scout council was forced to sell their camp. Foust purchased a portion of Camp Pioneer and has re-created the experience under the name Pioneer Camp- grounds.

Though it is much smaller now, Pioneer Campgrounds continues to provide leadership training to youth scouts, as well as hosting local events, weddings, family reunions, and motorcycle rallies. Pioneer Campgrounds is available to all law enforcement agencies free of charge for weekday or weekend events or gatherings.

For more information, please visit www.PioneerCampgrounds. com or find their app on the iOS App Store by searching Pioneer Campgrounds.