TIPPECANOE – Over the years Potawatomi Wildlife Park, a nonprofit nature park located in rural Marshall County, has been the host site for countless regional Scouting events involving hundreds of Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. These events have included den meetings, single day outings, overnight campouts, day camps and regional camporees for three regional councils. In June 2012, Potawatomi Wildlife Park hosted a new two-day Marshall County Cub Scout Day Camp for the LaSalle Council. Activities included archery, air rifle, fishing, craft building, kickball, slingshots and water bottle rockets. Special activities for Webelos included knot tying and plant and tree identification. Plans for the 2013 summer day camp are already in the final stages. Of special note are the Eagle Scout projects that have been completed at Potawatomi Wildlife Park. Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program. The rank involves several requirements, including planning and completing an Eagle Scout Service Project. The service project is the opportunity for a Scout to demonstrate leadership of others while performing a project for the benefit of a nonprofit organization. To date, 14 Scouts have received the rank of Eagle Scout by completing a project at Potawatomi. Some of those projects have included the construction of trails, boardwalks, outdoor educational displays and conservation projects such as building and installing Wood Duck nesting boxes. The park maintains a list of several potential projects for review by Scouts seeking project ideas. The one of the more recent project involved developing marked hiking trails to include one-, three- and five-mile trail routes for visitors to hike while visiting Potawatomi Wildlife Park. The future for projects looks promising as a second Scout project has already been approved for 2013. Potawatomi Wildlife Park plans to continue its service to youth through partnerships with youth organizations for years to come. Potawatomi Wildlife Park is a free-admission 317-acre park along the Tippecanoe River south of Bourbon. It is in Marshall County, just over the Kosciusko County border. Coming from the north, the park entrance is located approximately one-half-mile south of Ind. 10 directly across from 17th Road. Coming from the south, the entrance is approximately one-half-mile north of the Tippecanoe Bridge on Ind. 331. The park is also open daily from sunrise to sunset for you to walk the trails and observe or study wildlife or learn about the historic features the park preserves.
