PORT TOWNSEND — While some may sit around after finishing their careers, a cadre of local retirees are turning their energy to a more active project — the construction of a Boy Scout lodge that will provide a home for a variety of youth and recreational activities.

Doug McMinds, Glenn Davis, Ralph Erickson, Bob Nesbit and Don Hasley, all in their 60s and 70s, work an average of four days per week, six hours a day, with the goal of finishing up this time next year.

The cabin is under construction on a 4-acre plot at the corner of Mill Road and Discovery Road, bordering state Highway 20 just south of town.

The 2,000-square-foot building will have a large meeting room, a kitchen, two bathrooms and an office. There also will be a large basement to store supplies.

Nesbitt said that the lodge could be completed sometime in 2011, if all goes well.

Educational experience

The plan is that the cabin will be a center for Scouts, both local and visiting, and that it also will be rented for weddings or parties.

In the meantime, this senior crew is turning the construction process into an educational experience.

“We’re learning as we go,” Nesbitt said.

“We figure that it will get better the more we do, and we’ll do a better job the farther up we get.”

So by the time the 9-foot walls are complete, they should be pretty close to perfect.

Nesbitt said that construction costs for the cabin will be about $250,000. That amount would be a lot higher if not for the volunteer labor, he added.

A diverse group of community members have supported the venture, since the idea first occurred to the group about three years ago.

One of the early volunteers was Quilcene resident Pat Yarr, who was murdered in March 2009 just after helping to haul in about half of the logs that are being used for the project.

In May, Michael J. Pierce was sentenced life in prison for killing Pat and Janice Yarr before burning down their home north of Lake Leland.

The 40-foot logs Yarr helped to haul were acquired from Pope & Talbot Inc. at a discount. Donated plans were used to cut them to size and cut the notches necessary to fit them together.

Donated crane

The project received a boost with the donation of a rusted crane, which was repaired by the Port Townsend Paper Co. mill before it began use as the way to lift the logs into place.

It took two months to fix the crane, so the summer months were lost for construction.

Once the crane was in service, it took a few weeks to place the bottom logs, an action that required cutting them in half and placing them smooth-side down.

Since then, the crew has managed to put in at least one log each day.

The look of the rustic log cabin only goes so deep since there are many differences from the traditional design.

The most radical is the use of power tools. A chain saw is used to sculpt the rounded indentations on both ends of each log, with space for electrical wiring and pipes embedded.

For stability, each log will be lined up by a steel pole that is threaded through the height of the wall.

“Every three months you tighten the bolt and it keeps them in place,” Nesbitt said.

“You need to do this, because the logs will shrink.”

The five members of this core group said they could always use a little help.

To volunteer, phone 360-385-6453. To donate, phone 360-385-2478.

For more information, see www.scoutcabinpt.org.

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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.