Program Report June 15, 2018
By: Teri Muse

Fort Rotary at Camp Trask has served as the cornerstone of the Boy Scout Camp in the mountains above Monrovia for many, many years. Built in 2001 thru 2003, the 10,000 square foot, two story fort boasts lookout towers, upper deck, courtyard and restrooms. For t Rotary was the brain child of the late Nick Pokrajac and designed by Bob Daggett. Tom Crosby served as construction foreman. Bob Novell provided catering to the construction crew and hundreds of Rotarians, the Partners in Rotary and their families participated in the construction of this fort.
The once majestic Camp Rotary has fallen in disrepair over the years due to lack of on-going maintenance and now has deteriatied so bad that is it closed to the young campers that visit Camp Trask each year. The Boy Scouts have asked the Rotary Club to work with them to restore Fort Rotary and pledges to not only provide $25,000 in seed money to repair the fort, but promises to provide on-going maintenance to the fort so it will not fall into disrepair again.
The San Marino Rotary and Monrovia Rotary Clubs were present at our club meeting to hear the presentation and consider joining the Arcadia Rotary if they choose to take this project on. It is estimated that it will take $90,000 to complete the renovations and will require much more in sweat equity from the clubs and their families.
Many members expressed their concern about the on-going maintenance but also brought up that the Fort is an experience many youth need to be exposed to when they visit Camp Trask. The presentation to the Club is the first step in the process and next step is for the Board of Directors to decide if Fort Rotary will become a service project once again. Stay tuned .