This week Senator Karin Housley (R-Stillwater) presented legislation in the Environment Legacy and Finance Committee that would appropriate $128,000 for a grant to the Disabled Veterans Rest Camp on Big Marine Lake in Washington County. If approved, this grant would provide landscape improvements around the new cabins, a retaining wall around a water drainage holding pond, and security fencing.  

“Big Marine Lake has offered a wonderful source of peace and family fun to our veterans, and recent improvements have made the park even better,” said Sen. Housley. “Just 12 years ago, the park was experiencing only 3,000 annual visitors, and now they’re up to over 35,000 visitors per year! The work they’ve put into this camp so far has really paid off.”

Big Marine Lake is currently the only Yellow Ribbon Campground in the USA, and is open to members of the military, military retirees, veterans, veteran families, and sponsored guests. In 1926, this Camp was started from a local farm that was donated to help disabled veterans recover from World War I and became a Yellow Ribbon Campground in January of 2010. As a non-profit organization, grants are the driving force behind funding updates and camp improvements.

“This is such a special spot for all of our local veterans, and this grant money is so important in allowing them make improvements that are always making the camp better. It’s truly a beautiful place that the community is already so proud of, and we want to ensure its future growth,” finished Sen. Housley.

This legislation was laid over in the Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee.