Camps 20^th year was 1957 and this was also the year that the Geneva Kiwanis donated the nature shelter (Current 2012) to Camp Babcock Hovey. It wasn’t until 1959 that the shelter was dedicated and the reporters even reported the wrong year on the plague. Here is a picture of the plaque and a copy of the newspaper articles. The dedication article is also copied below. This served as the Nature area from 1957 through the early 1990’s (help needed on exact date) when the lento (NAC 2012) was built across from Archery and Nature moved to that location. However at the end of the summer of 2010 NAC and Nature switched places and Nature moved back to the Nature Shelter. In recent years, during the winter the Nature Lodge is normally the storage location for equipment for the camp ranger. During the winter of 2012 a wall was added to the Nature Shelter to aid in year round storage of items.

Newspaper Articles in PDF-

1957.07.02 – 20 years at camp

1959.08.12 – Nature lodge to be dedicated

1959.08.13 – Nature lodge is dedicated

From the above Finger Lakes Times Newspaper artivle August 13^th 1959

The nature lodge at Camp the Geneva Kiwanis Club, was officially dedicated last night (August 12^th, 1959) by representatives of Finger Lakes Council Boy Scouts of America and the Kiwanis Club.

The nature lodge is the center of the nature study and conservation area used by the Scouts and others at camp. Camp Director John F. Connor Jr., introduced Scout executive

Edmond T. Hester, who gave a brief explanation as to how the Geneva Kiwanis Club became interested in the opportunity of providing a nature lodge at Camp Babcock Hovey for the boys of Finger Lakes Council.

Mr. Hesser introduced Alfred J. Freisem past lieutenant governor of the Kiwanis Club of this area, who presented the building to the Finger Lakes Council from the Kiwanis Club.

He read the bronze plaque which stated: “Nature Lodge constructed and presented by Kiwanis Club of Geneva, 1958, to help the boy keep physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”

Camping chairman John M. Taggart accepted the building on behalf of the Finger Lakes Council Boy Scouts of America. Council President W. Neil Marvin concluded the program by ex pressing to the Scouts and friends of scouting, the appreciation that was due the multitude of people in the Finger Lakes Council area who have made the physical facilities of c a m p i n g possible through their interest in the development of Camp Babcock-Hovey.

In addition to the guests present, Scouts from the following units and communities witnessed the ceremony: Troop 25, Dundee; Troop 137, Marion; Troop 30, of Canandaigua; Troop 110, Wolcott; Troop 37, Bristol Springs; Troop 83, Gorham; Troop 19, Lakemont; and Troop 82 of Dresden. This is the concluding -week of Scout camp’s summer season with the largest attendance recorded at the camp in any one week. A total of 225 Scouts and staff members are participating.