Scouting in Georgia (U.S. state)

Scouting in Georgia has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. The state is home to many milestones for the Scouting movement. The Girl Scout Birthplace is located in Savannah, and President Jimmy Carter served as a Scoutmaster in Plains.

Early history (1910-1950)

Until 1974, some southern councils of the Boy Scouts of America were racially segregated. (The Old Hickory council did not integrate until 1974.) Colored Troops, as they were officially known, were given little support from Districts and Councils. Some Scouting executives and leaders believed that Colored Scouts and Leaders would be less able to live up to the ideals of the Boy Scouts.

Recent history (1950-1990)

Scouting in Georgia today

There are thirteen active Boy Scouts of America local councils that serve Scouts in Georgia.
Active councils, districts, and lodges are shown in green.

Alapaha Area Council

Alapaha Area Council's has been active since 1960 to present. The council serves twelve counties in south central Georgia. The Council office is located in Valdosta, GA.

• Circle Seven District - Berrien, Brooks, Cook, Clinch, Echols, Lanier, and Lowndes counties
• Yellow Pine District - Atkinson, Ben Hill, Coffee, Irwin, Jeff Davis counties

Alapaha Area Council's Camp Patten, located in Lakeland, Georgia, was donated to the council in 1965 by Lawson Leo Patten (1896-1983).

Order of the Arrow Lodge: Alapaha Lodge #545 was chartered in 1960 and is still active with approximately 145 members. The Alapaha Lodge celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010, and is known for its hard but also easy at the same time, to get and subtly changing lodge flaps. Such as the red and red, red and yellow, and yellow and yellow headband feathered Indian.

Atlanta Area Council

The Atlanta Area Council encompasses 13 counties in northern Georgia. Formerly known as the Atlanta Council #92 from 1915 to 1939, and as the Polaris Council in the 1950s. The council office is currently located in Atlanta, Georgia.

• Button Gwinnett District
• Chattahoochee District
• Cherokee Pickens District
• Covered Bridge District
• East Atlanta District
• [1] Foothills District
• High Tower Trail District
• Milton District
• Mountain Lake District
• North Atlanta District
• (The old North Fulton District was split in 2003 to form the Chattahoochee District and the Milton District)
• Soapstone Ridge District
• South Atlanta District
• South Fulton District
• Sweetwater District
• Tara District
• Three Rivers District
• West Atlanta District
• Yellow River District

Egwa Tawa Dee Lodge

Main article: Egwa Tawa Dee Lodge

Egwa Tawa Dee #129 is the Order of the Arrow lodge that serves the Atlanta Area Council. Originally chartered as Broad-Winged-Hawk #129 in 1938, Egwa Tawa Dee is translated from “equa tawadi”, the Cherokee language for the lodge's totem, the broad-winged hawk to whose literal translation is “big hawk” and for ease of pronunciation it was spelled out as "Egwa Tawa Dee."

Augusta Council

(Name active from 1920 to 1925. Changed name to Richmond County Council #93 in 1925.)

Augusta Area Council

(Name active from 1929 to 1941. Changed name to Georgia-Carolina 93 in 1941.)

Aumuckalie Council

(Name active from 1921 to 1922. Disbanded 1922. Believed based in Americus, Georgia and absorbed by Nochaway #100 (later Chehaw) in 1922.)

Central Georgia Council

The Central Georgia Council has been around since 1923. Council office located in Macon, GA.)

Camp Benjamin Hawkins is a 550-acre (2.2 km²) scouting preserve situated near Byron ,Georgia.The camp has been in operation since 1927 and has a long history of scouting traditions.It boasts a solid BSA program which includes: a First Year Camper program(Buckskins), merit badges, C.O.P.E.(Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience), BSA Lifeguard, and various other activities. The camp has witnessed a boom in capitol improvements over recent years, including a pedestrian bridge, new camping facilities, and an expanded dining hall.

• Big Indian Creek
• Ocmulgee
• Oconee
• Pine Forest

Echeconnee Lodge

Echeconnee Lodge #358 was chartered in 1947. The Echeconnee Creek is a prominent land feature near the Council's Camp Benjamin Hawkins. Echeconnee is Creek for "Deer Trap Creek".

Arrowmen chose the Deer as their official totem of the lodge. Early patches of the lodge had a deer prominently displayed on them. In 1952, the O.A. national committee asked the BSA to approve a lodge emblem which would fit the right pocket flap of the uniform. Lodge members based the design of their lodge flap on the Creek people who lived in the area until they were forced to leave in the 1800s due to the encroachment of White settlers on their homeland. The border is based on a pottery design used by the Creek Nation^{[citation needed]}, and the mounds in the background are based on those found in the Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, Georgia.

Echeconnee Lodge has four Chapters

• Robert L. Scott
• Ocmulgee
• Oconee
• Pine Forest

Chatham County Council

(Name active from 1923 to 1942. Changed name to Coastal Empire #99 in 1942.)

Chattahoochee Council

(Name active from 1923 to 1950. Changed name to George H. Lanier #94 in 1950.)

Chattahoochee Council serves Scouts in Georgia and Alabama, with the Council office located in Columbus, Georgia. Active from 1964 to present, the council's name refers to the Chattahoochee River, which flows through Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

• George H. Lanier District
• Saugahatchee District
• Muskogee District
• Yellow Jacket District

OA lodge: Chattahoochee Lodge #204 chartered 1941 and still active. Absorbed Hiawassee Lodge #333 (West Georgia Council) in 1963. Absorbed Wehadkee Lodge #273 (George H. Lanier Council, West Point) in both 1964 and 1990.

• Alapaha
• Apatschin
• Hiawassee
• Si-tan-mico
• Wehadkee
• Weracoba
• Wischixin

Chehaw Council

Main article: Chehaw Council

Chehaw Council serves scouts in Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Schley, Sumter, Terrell, Tift, Turner, Wilcox and Worth counties.

Cherokee Council

(Name active from 1923 to 1923. Changed name to Floyd County #95 in 1923.

Cherokee Area Council

CherokeeAreaBSA.com

Cherokee Area Council serves Scouts in Tennessee and Georgia, with the council office located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The John Ross District serves Northwest Georgia Walker, Catoosa and Dade Counties. Website: www.CherokeeAreaBSA.com. Skymont Scout Reservation offers year-round and summer camping opprtunities, www.Skymont.org.

Coastal Empire Council

The Council office of the Coastal Empire Council is located in Savannah, GA..

• Canoochee District
• Cherokee District
• Liberty District
• Savannah Center District
• Tidelands District

OA lodge: Tomo-Chi-Chi Lodge #119 chartered 1938 and still active.

• Blue Heron
• Canoochee
• Creek
• Ogeechee

Columbus Council

(Name active from 1919 to 1923. Changed name to Muscogee County #98 in 1923.)

Columbus Area Council

(Name active from 1925 to 1930. Function merged into Direct Service 1930.)

Flint River Council

Main article: Flint River Council

Flint River Council] is headquartered in Griffin, Georgia.

Floyd County Council

(Name active from 1919 to 1923. Changed name to Cherokee #95 in 1923.)

Floyd County Council

(Name active from 1923 to 1925. Disbanded in 1925. Absorbed into Atlanta 92 in 1929.)

Gainesville Area Council

(Name active from 1928 to 1932. Function merged into Direct Service July 1933.)

George H. Lanier Council

(Name active from 1950 to 1989. Merged into Chattahoochee #91 in 1989.)

Georgia-Alabama Council

(Name active from 1934 to 1964. Merged into Chattahoochee #91 in 1964.)

Georgia-Carolina Council

Name active from 1941 to currently active. Council office located in Augusta, Georgia, includes districts in South Carolina and Georgia. Website: [2]

• Chickasaw District
• Kiokee District
• Ogeechee District
• Upper River District
• Yamasee District

OA lodge: Bob White Lodge #87 chartered 1936 and still active.

• Chickasaw
• Kiokee
• Ogeechee
• Upper River
• Yamasee

Griffin Area Council

(Name active from 1927 to 1930. Changed name to Flint River #95 in 1930.)

Macon Council

(Name active from 1919 to 1923. Changed name to Central Georgia #96 in 1923.)

Mcintosh County Coouncil

(Name active from 1922 to 1923. Disbanded in 1923. Merged into Chatham County #99 in 1930.)

Muscogee County Council

(Name active from 1923 to 1925. Changed name to Columbus Area #98 in 1925.)

Nochaway Council

(Name active from 1921 to 1929. Disbanded in 1929 & the counties were run from the national office then in New York City. Rechartered as Chehaw #97 in 1939. Spelled Notchoway in some BSA records and Notchaway in some other places but Nochaway in actual records of the council.)

Northeast Georgia Council

(Name active from 1922 to 1931. Changed name to Gainesville Area #428 in 1931.)

Northeast Georgia Council

Name active from 1935 to currently active. Council office located in Pendergrass, Georgia.

[3]

• Banks District
• Barrow District
• Clarke District
• Dawson District
• Elbert District
• Fannin District
• Forsyth District
• Franklin District
• Gilmer District
• Greene District
• Gwinnett District
• Habersham District
• Hall District
• Hart District
• Jackson District
• Lumpkin District
• Madison District
• Morgan District
• Oglethorpe District
• Oconee District
• Rabun District
• Stephens District
• Towns District
• Union District
• Walton District
• White District

Camp Rainey Mountain

Camp Rainey Mountain is a Boy Scout camp near Clayton, Georgia. It has 24 campsites, and is owned by the Northeast Georgia Council. The camp is centered around Lake Toccoa, and has a large dining hall, trading post, and a stone amphitheater. There is also a trail leading to Big Rock, a granite cliff used for rappelling. Summer camps are offered from June to August, but the area is available for Scouts to camp all year round. For more information regarding visiting, contact your local Boy Scout troop. The Mowogo Lodge of the Order of the Arrow is based from Rainey Mountain.

Typically, the camp runs for eight weeks out of the summer, with one week as Staff Week when staff members are trained and camp is prepared, and seven weeks for campers (occasionally, the camp will run for a ninth week for campers). Service around the camp is provided by the Mowogo Lodge.

The main activity during camp is the merit badge classes. Classes are typically one hour long, but many classes must cover more material and may take two or three hours. There are currently 43 different merit badge class (two of which cover two merit badges). Rather than focusing on traditional merit badges, Camp Rainey mountain also offers some lesser-known merit badges, including many science, technology, and culture related badges. Also, a program called TNT (The New Trail) is also offered. This program focuses on rank advancement (Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class) rather than a specific merit badge. There is also a swimming class that focuses on the swimming merit badge, and a class to train and certify lifeguards with the BSA. High Adventure Classes available as well; some of which are hosted week-long by North East Georgia's other camp Scoutland. A newer Program called Gold Rush is Held at Camp Rainey Mountain. Gold Rush Focuses on more pioneering type lifestyle, you spend the week (Excluding Sunday and the Campfires)in Adirondack type cabins And eat meals from a huge cast iron skillet. There is an opportunity to blacksmith to learn Knife throwing tomahawk throwing and more.

The staff hosts organized campfires every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday nights at the stone amphitheater. Every Sunday night, the staff introduces themselves and put on skits for entertainment. Wednesday night hosts the Order of the Arrow campfire, in which many troops conduct skits for camp. Afterwords scouts of the Order of the Arrow give a short speech about the order and its meaning to scouts. On Friday nights, awards are given out by the staff to the exemplary scouts of the week, and troops give out staff awards. The Senior patrol leaders (SPLs) of the troops get together and vote on the "Staffer of the Week".

Scoutland

Scoutland in Gainesville, Georgia on Lake Lanier is Camp Rainey Mountain's High Adventure Outpost. Scoutland Outpost features mainly Aquatic activities as well as Cub Scout Activities.

Mowogo Lodge

OA lodge: Mowogo Lodge #243 chartered in 1943 and still active.

Current Lodge Chapters

• Ani-gatogewi
• Canantutlaga
• Japeechen
• Jutaculla
• Lau In Nih
• Machque
• Yonah-hi

Northwest Georgia Council

Name active from 1932 to currently active. Council office located in Rome, GA.

Camp Sidney Dew is a Boy Scout camp near Rome, Georgia. It has 17 campsites, and is owned by the Northwest Georgia Council. The camp has two lakes, a swimming pool, a large dining hall, trading post, rifle, shotgun, and archery ranges, and a stone amphitheater. There is also a COPE course built by Georgia Power. Summer camps are offered from June to August, but the area is available for Scouts to camp all year round. For more information regarding visiting, contact your local Boy Scout troop. The Waguli Lodge of the Order of the Arrow is based from Sidney Dew.

The main activity during camp is the merit badge classes. Classes are typically one hour long, but many classes must cover more material and may take two or three hours. There are currently 43 different merit badge classes. Also, a class called Spikebuck, which focuses on rank advancement rather than a merit badge. There is also a swimming class that does not focus on the swimming merit badge, a class to train and certify lifeguards with the BSA, and a free boating class, a mile swim award class, and a week-long trek.

• Conasauga District
• Coosa District
• Sequoyah District

OA lodge: Waguli Lodge #318 chartered in 1945.

Ococah Council

(Name active from 1922 to 1924. Changed name to Northeast Georgia #101 in 1924.)

Okefenokee Council

(Name active from 1921 to 1922. Disbanded 1922.)

Okefenokee Area Council

Name active from 1926 to currently active. Council office located in Waycross, GA.

OA lodge: Pilthlako Lodge #229 chartered in 1950. Name changed from Chawtaw Lodge #229 (1943–1950).

• Allogagan
• Guale
• Tomo Chi Chi

Richmond County Council

(Name active from 1925 to 1929. Changed name to Augusta Area #93 in 1929.)

Savannah Council

(Name active from 1920 to 1923. Merged into Chatham County #99 in 1923.)

Suwannee River Area Council

Main article: Scouting in Florida

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.

West Georgia Council

(Name active from 1946 to 1964. Merged into Chattahoochee #91 in 1964.)

Withlacocchee Council

(Name active from 1926 to 1930. Changed name to Okefenokee Area #758 in 1930.)

Girl Scouting in Georgia

The Girl Scout Birthplace is located in Savannah, Georgia, which was the Gordon family home that now provides tours to thousands of Scouts every year. Upon Juliette Gordon Low's death in 1927, she willed her carriage house, eventually named The Girl Scout First Headquarters, to the local Savannah Girl Scouts for continued use.

In 2008 the eight Girl Scout Councils in Georgia merged to form two councils. In addition Girl Scouts of Moccasin Bend headquartered in Tennessee covers Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade and Walker Counties in northwestern Georgia.

Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia

Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia was formed on May 1, 2008 by the merger of eight previous councils: Girl Scouts, Central Savannah River Council; Girl Scouts of Concharty Council; Girl Scouts of Middle Georgia; Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia; Girl Scouts of Southwest Georgia; and The Girl Scout Council of Savannah, Georgia. Though some counties in these old councils were moved to Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta. This council also covers part of South Carolina and Russell County in Alabama.

Headquarters: Lizella, Georgia
Website: http://www.gshg.org/

Camps:

• Camp Concharty is 190 acres (77 ha) at the base of Pine Mountain in Shiloh, Georgia
• Camp Lanier is 88 acres (36 ha) on Lake Lanier in Forsyth County
• Camp Low is on a 300-acre (120 ha) barrier island, Rose Dhu Island, near Savannah
• Camp Martha Johnston is 165 acres (67 ha) in Lizella, Georgia and has been owned by the Girl Scouts since 1922.
• Camp Okitayakani is 338 acres (137 ha) in Cuthbert, Georgia
• Camp Otaki is 56 acres (23 ha) on Lake Hartwell in Hart County.
• Camp Tanglewood is 184 acres (74 ha) in Augusta, Georgia
• Camp Manipines is 38 acres (15 ha) on Lake Sinclair in Putnam County. It is leased from the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
• Camp Robert Lewis is 40 acres (16 ha) by Mulberry Falls near the Chattahoochee River.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta serves about 41,000 girls and 17,000 adult volunteers in 34 counties of northwest Georgia and a portion of Polk County Tennessee. It was formed in 2008 by the merger of Girl Scout Council of Northwest Georgia and Girl Scouts of Pine Valley Council.

Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia
Website: http://www.girlscoutsofgreateratlanta.org/

Camps:

• Camp Cecil Jackson in Griffin, Georgia
• Camp Meriwether in Luthersville, Georgia
• Camp Misty Mountain in Armuchee, Georgia
• Camp Pine Acres in Acworth, Georgia
• Camp Pine Valley in Meansville, Georgia
• Camp Scout Haven in Acworth, Georgia
• Camp Timber Ridge in Mableton, Georgia
• Camp Welcome in Newnan, Georgia

The Northwest Georgia Girl Scout Council maintains a relationship with the Sakartvelos Gogona Skautebis Asociacia 'Dia' in the Republic of Georgia.

See also

Scouting portal

Troop 527 - Richmond Hills, GA

References

• World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, World Bureau (2002), Trefoil Round the World. Eleventh Edition 1997. ISBN 0-900827-75-0

External links

• Alapaha Area Council #98
• Atlanta Area Council #92
• Central Georgia Council #96
• Chattahoochee Council #91
• Chehaw Council #97
• Cherokee Area Council #556
• Coastal Empire Council #99
• Flint River Council #95
• Georgia-Carolina Council #93
• Northeast Georgia Council #101
• Northwest Georgia Council #100
• Okefenokee Area Council #758
• Suwannee River Area Council #664
• List of Order of the Arrow lodges by Region and Lodge Number
• Yellow River District