LI Scout Camp, Celebrating 100th Anniversary, Honors Devoted Staffer For Longtime Service

CALVERTON, NY — A longtime staffer at Baiting Hollow Scout Camp was honored Saturday for his years of dedicated service.

Steve Barile of Mastic Beach was feted at Baiting Hollow Scout Camp in Calverton on January 3. The Baiting Hollow Alumni Association presented Barile with its Alumni Service Award, which is given annually to an individual who has gone above and beyond for Baiting Hollow and the Scouts the camp serves.

This year will be Barile’s 24th working on the summer camp staff. Over the years, Barile, 46, has worked in a variety of positions, including assistant cook, archery director, C.O.P.E. (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience) and climbing director, support staff, and shooting sports director.

Barile’s service to Baiting Hollow includes volunteering year-round to help prepare for and run activities and special events — such as the Baiting Halloween haunted trail and December’s Brunch with Santa — and assisting in maintaining and improving camp facilities. His other volunteer experience includes being a past chief of Mastic Beach Ambulance Company.

A 1998 William Floyd High School graduate, Barile is also the technical director at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson.

In addition, Barile is an Eagle Scout and he earned Vigil, the highest honor awarded by Scouting's national honor society, the Order of the Arrow.

"I love what I do, and I’m very grateful that I’m able to help mold our Scouts to become leaders and good people," Barile said. "This camp is like a second and sometimes first home for me, and I hope that I’m able to continue doing what I love to do."

January 3’s Baiting Hollow Alumni Association Fellowship Dinner was the first event marking Baiting Hollow Scout Camp’s yearlong 100th anniversary celebration. On Saturday, April 25 (rain date Sunday, April 26) Baiting Hollow will welcome current Scouts and Scouters as well as their families and camp alumni for a day of favorite camp activities: archery, rifle and BB shooting; climbing; fishing; patrol challenges; heritage crafts, Scout games, hikes to the beach and more.