Early Christmas for Benicia Scouts

Girl and Boy Scouts in Benicia got an early Christmas gift Friday from the Benicia Lion's Club and Valero in the form of $200,000 to finish the Scout rooms in the city's new Mills Community Center.

The groups lost their home when the city decided it needed their Scout house site for low-income housing.  That housing need was fulfilled by another project but the Scouting groups still needed a new home.

In October 2007, the City of Benicia and representatives from the Girl and Boy Scout troops sponsored by the Benicia Lions Club, negotiated a long-term lease agreement for space at the former Mills elementary school, now being converted into the Benicia Community Center.

Each Scout organization will rent two classrooms with more than 1,900 square feet. Because of challenges in funding the project, the lease agreements were not  signed until this year, after City Council approval of the construction contract for the Community Center.

"It will help grow Scouting," said Troop 8 Committee Chairman Eric Sargeson.  "It's a place to show off achievements."

Initially, the Scout House was to be built at Community Park as part of a new 3,000-square-foot community center.  The Valero Benicia Refinery made a commitment to the Scouts to help construct the building.

When the opportunity to convert the 30,000-square-foot Mills Elementary School came about, all parties turned their attention to a community center at the former school site.

"It'll be a real good marquee location and it'll help Scouting growth," said Sargeson.

Valero maintained its financial commitment to the Scout groups and agreed that the funds could be applied to converting Mills School. For the last few years, all the money has been held in trust by the Benicia Lions Club, which added to Valero's contribution.

Benicia has about 400 girls active in Girl Scouts. They and their leaders are excited about the new gathering spot. "This is huge," said Amy Martin, a volunteer who oversees the adult Girl Scout leaders in Benicia. "We've been working with the city for eight years.  Our program has doubled in the past 10 years."

The city will make some improvements to the site, including adding a kitchenette; installing cabinets; removing a common wall, in the case of the Boy Scouts; and installing a door in the common wall for the Girl Scouts. It is estimated that the Scouts will move into their new home in May.