Boy Scouts of America in Florida today
There are nine Boy Scouts of America local councils in Florida. In addition, the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base of the BSA is located in Islamorada, Florida.
Alabama-Florida Council
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Main article: Scouting in Alabama § Alabama-Florida Council |
Alabama-Florida Council serves Scouts in Alabama and Florida, with the council office located in Dothan, Alabama.[1]
OA Lodge: Cowikee Lodge #224
Central Florida Council
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Main article: Central Florida Council |
Central Florida Council serves Scouts in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard, Volusia and Flagler Counties. Its headquarters is located in Apopka, Florida, and its primary Scout camp is Camp La-No-Che in Paisley.
OA lodge: Tipisa Lodge 326
Greater Tampa Bay Area Council
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Main article: Greater Tampa Bay Area Council |
| Greater Tampa Bay Area Council | |||
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| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Headquarters | Tampa, Florida | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 5/01/2016 | ||
| President | Tom Hochhausler | ||
| Scout Executive | Jim Rees | ||
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The Greater Tampa Bay Area Council is the newest council in Florida and was formed by a merger of Gulf Ridge Council and West Central Florida Council on May 1, 2016.[2]
The Greater Tampa Bay Area Council serves youth in Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sumter counties. The four main Scout camps are Camp Brorein in Odessa, Camp Soule in Clearwater, Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation in Lake Wales, and Sand Hill Scout Reservation in Brooksville. There are also two smaller facilities at Bigfoot Wilderness Camp near Dade City, and Camp Alafia in Lithia. The Scout offices are in Tampa and Seminole. [3]
Gulf Coast Council
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Main article: Gulf Coast council |
Gulf Coast Council #773 serves Scouts in Florida and Alabama, with the council office located in Pensacola, Florida. The council's name refers to the Gulf Coast of the United States.
OA lodge: Yustaga Lodge #385 whose patches can be seen here.
Gulf Stream Council
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Main article: Gulf Stream Council |
Gulf Stream Council is a council of the Boy Scouts of America in southeast Florida with the headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens. The council serves youth in the eastern portion of South Florida from the Broward/Palm Beach line north to the Brevard/Indian River County line and west into the eastern portions of Highlands, Glades and Hendry counties.[6]
OA Lodge: Aal-pa-tah Lodge 237
North Florida Council
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Main article: North Florida Council |
The North Florida Council encompasses the 17 counties of northeast Florida. Through almost 7,000 volunteers the council serves over 57,000 youth in over 850 units. The North Florida Council owns, maintains and operates two camps: St. Johns Riverbase at Echockotee on Doctors Lake in Orange Park, and Camp Shands near Hawthorne.
OA Lodge - Echockotee Lodge
South Florida Council
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Main article: South Florida Council |
| South Florida Council | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Scout Executive | Jeff Berger | ||
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The South Florida Council, is in South Florida and serves the Boy Scouts of America in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties. It has 3 camps: Camp Elmore in Davie, Camp Sawyer in the Florida Keys, and Camp Everglades in Everglades National Park.
OA Lodge: O-shot-caw Lodge 265
Southwest Florida Council
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Main article: Southwest Florida Council |
| Southwest Florida Council | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Country | United States | ||
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Southwest Florida Council serves Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Manatee, Sarasota, and parts of DeSoto and Hendry counties. It has 2 properties: the Price-Sanders Scout Reservation in Charlotte with the Dr. Franklin Miles Camp and Camp Gannett, and Camp Flying Eagle in Manatee.
''"The Southwest Florida Council was chartered in July 1969, and based on membership and units, it ranks 46th out of 306 councils in the United States. The Southwest Florida Council is a geographic area divided into four districts that include Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hendry, Lee, Manatee, Sarasota Counties. The Council has an executive board of volunteers and a staff of professionals."
"The Council accomplishes its mission by making its program available to chartered organizations; existing organizations that have compatible goals. These groups include religious, educational, civic fraternal, business, labor, and governmental bodies. The Council supports chartered organizations by providing materials and certain facilities, such as camps. The Chartered Organizations organize the packs and troops." (Source — SWFL Council Website)
Recent Highlights
In 2007 The Southwest Council:
Awarded Centennial Council for achieving excellence in providing a quality program to a growing youth population in Southwest FLorida Recognized as a National Quality Learning for Life Council Achieved 11 consecutive years of membership growth Serves over 32,000 boys and girls, in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hendry, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota Counties Had 117 young men attained the rank of Eagle Scout Has 4,000 active volunteers and over 390 units engaged in the program Increased attendance at: merit badge camp-outs, summer day-camps, camporees and at the Philmont Scout Reservation Almost 15,000 campers used our two camp facilities including special needs youth and community groups provided over 15,000 community service hours Collected almost 100,000 lb (45,000 kg) of food through the Scouting For Food Campaign Represented by 12 Scouts and Scout Leaders at the World Jamboree in London, England The Friends of Scouting fundraising campaign netted the largest amount in the Council's history Achieved a balanced budget Youth sold over 7,700 cases of popcorn at a retail value of over $480,000 Of that, 1,600 cases were shipped to deployed troops in over 40 countries
Council Website [1]
OA Lodge: Osceola #564, website [2]
Suwannee River Area Council
| Suwannee River Area Council | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1924 | ||
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The Suwannee River Area Council, active from 1924 to present, encompasses 13 counties in north Florida and south Georgia. The Council Service Center and central headquarters are in Tallahassee, Florida. Over the past 90 years or so, the Suwannee River Area Council has offered traditional Scouting programs at several camps.
Camps
The first was Camp Orchard Pond, located near Tallahassee. Orchard Pond was a small camp, having only four campsites during its entire lifetime. It was used from 1927 to 1947, when it was sold. The council moved its summer camp operations to Camp Semialachee, located on the west side of Moore Lake south of SR 20 on the Silver Lake Road west of Tallahassee. Semialachee got its name indirectly from the union of "Seminole" and "Apalachee", two primary groups of Native Americans in the United States from the north Florida region. Camp Semialachee was kept until 1965, when camping was moved to Wallwood Scout Reservation, located just south of Quincy, Florida. The land for the new camp was donated by Dr. Charlie K. Wall and his wife Margaret as a gift to Scouting. The buildings and equipment were donated by various community leaders, Scouters, and organizations. The dedication of Wallwood came in 1964, the buildings were constructed in 1965, and the first camping season was the summer of 1966. Wallwood covers over 500 acres (2.0 km2) of land bordered on one side by a branch of Lake Talquin. The camp offers a variety of Scouting programs, including COPE, as well as opportunities for other civic organizations. There are currently two camping faciliies at the Wallwood Reservation - Camp Nea Mathla and Camp Tom Matherly.
Order of the Arrow
The Semialachee Lodge #239 serves the council. [7]
