According to Al Patrick, an attorney with Lawyers East in Greenville and chairman of the Camp Renaming Committee, “East Carolina Council, Boy Scouts of America will change the name of their summer camp, located on the south side of Pamlico River near Blounts Creek, to Camp Boddie, in honor of the Boddie family of Rocky Mount. This will become effective January 1, 2010.”
The camp, presently known as Camp Bonner and Herbert C. Bonner Scout Reservation annually provides camping opportunities for more than 10,000 Scouts served by the East Carolina Council, BSA. Although Boy Scout summer resident camp is held at the 950 acre facility, the reservation is also used year-round for camping, training and recreational activities by Boy Scouts from throughout eastern North Carolina. According to Jack Farrior, president of Jack A. Farrior, Inc. in Farmville and past Vice
President Boy Scouting for East Carolina Council, BSA, “The council executive board had never officially named the property until they voted on renaming the property on the south side of the river East Carolina Council Scout Reservation and Camp Bonner to Camp Boddie.”
Nick Boddie, Mayo Boddie and the Boddie family, are long-time supporters of the Boy Scouts in the East Carolina Council. The Boddies own Boddie Enterprises, which operate over 350 Hardee’s Restaurants, 35 Texas Roadhouses, Moe’s Mexican Restaurants and several other restaurants in North Carolina. When the camp dining hall burned in 1994, the Boddie family came to the rescue by funding a new dining hall. When the camp needed to
be upgraded, all three worked to see that the campaign was a success. William Boddie, president of Boddie Enterprises helped to provide leadership for the campaign. Each year the Boddie Family holds a golf tournament in Pinehurst which results in over $140,000 to the council’s operating budget. Nick, Mayo and William Boddie all serve as members of the East Carolina Council Executive Board. Nick Boddie is a past president of East Carolina Council, BSA and is a Distinguished Eagle Scout.
Many of their employees in the corporate office are also involved in the Boy Scout program.
The renaming of Camp Bonner to Camp Boddie and that part of the Herbert C. Bonner Scout Reservation located on the south side of Pamlico River to East Carolina Scout Reservation will assist Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Venturers to end up at the right designation for their activities and camping trips. In the past many Scouts have first arrived at the Camp Bonner on the wrong side of the river, only to have to make an hour’s trip to arrive at the right location.
Camp Boddie and the Pamlico Sea Base will be part of the East Carolina Scout Reservation located on the south side of the Pamlico River near Chocowinity and Blounts Creek in Beaufort County. The Boy Scouts have camped at this location for over 40 years since the property was purchased from Weyerhaeuser and private landowners, enabling the camp to be developed and opened in 1969. The Bonner Family invested no funds in the camps on the south side of the river. This property will be dedicated as East Carolina Scout
Reservation and Camp Boddie at a ceremony to be held on June 19, 2010.
East Carolina Council, BSA will continue to use the Herbert C. Bonner Scout Reservation located on the north side of the Pamlico River, near Washington Park for camping. The reservation includes Camp Herbert C. Bonner Camporee site, the Bonner farm operation and Camp Hannah Bonner, which is used by Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Venture Scouts for short-term camping. The camps on the north side of Pamlico River were made possible by the generous bequest of the late Congressman Herbert C. Bonner with the intent of
promoting camping and outdoor activities by the Boy Scouts and other young people from throughout eastern North Carolina. This property will continue to be named Herbert C. Bonner Scout Reservation.
East Carolina serves 20 counties in eastern North Carolina from the Virginia border south to Topsail Island and from those counties located on I -95 east to Ocracoke Island. Annually over 10,000 youth are served through 3,000 volunteers and a staff of 11 professionals, five office staff and four rangers. Other camps include Camp Charles located in Bailey, NC and Camp Sam Hatcher near Newport, NC.