Tidewater Council

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Tidewater Council

Organizational data
Location	Virginia Beach, VA
Country	United States
Founded	1911
Scout Executive	Bill Deany
Website	official website
Scouting portal

Tidewater Council is the local council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) that serves southeastern Virginia and north-eastern North Carolina. This region is often referred to as South Hampton Roads or the Tidewater or Tidewater Virginia area; hence the name of the council. Its Order of the Arrow counterpart is the Blue Heron Lodge; which was founded in 1946 when a team from Octoraro Lodge in Pennsylvania inducted the first members of Blue Heron Lodge.^[1]

1 Districts
2 Council history
3 Council camp
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Districts

Tidewater Council is divided into seven districts:

District	Area served	Notes
Albemarle	northeastern North Carolina	Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank, and Perquimans counties, NC
Cape Henry	northeastern Virginia Beach	northeast part of old PAVAB District
Chowanoc	southeastern Virginia Beach	southeast part of old PAVAB District
Elizabeth River	Chesapeake (Except Western Branch)
Kempsville	western Virginia Beach	western part of old PAVAB District
Merrimac	Portsmouth and Western Branch
Powhatan	Norfolk

In June 2002, the PAVAB (Princess Anne County/Virginia Beach) District had become too large and it was split into three new districts: Cape Henry, Chowanoc, and Kempsville.

[edit] Council history

Tidewater Council Shoulder Patch

Tidewater Council traces its origin to 1911, two years after the establishment of the Scouting movement in America by William D. Boyce of Chicago, Illinois and only three years after the founding of the movement itself by Sir Robert Baden-Powell in England. However, it was several years later, on January 29, 1914, that the local council was issued a second-class charter without a professional scout executive.

On September 21, 1911, 28 of Norfolk's most prominent businessmen met to form the Norfolk Council, BSA. The first council president was Richard L. Dobie. Other officers elected included Harvey M. Dickerson, vice president; J.G. Holladay, secretary; and W.W. Marr, treasurer. Thomas Sparrow became the Norfolk Council's first scout executive on October 1, 1919.

In 1934, the Cub Scout program was formally adopted by the Norfolk Council. The challenge of the day was "new ambition for greater service to more boys throughout America."

In January 1935, the council was given its present name, The Tidewater Council, Inc., BSA. The North Carolina counties of Currituck, Camden, Gates, Perquimans, Pasquotank and Chowan were accepted as part of the council. Dare County, N.C., was added in January 1942.

The council has been realigned many times to reach its current strength of seven districts. Today the council serves more than 11,000 boys and girls through 355 packs, troops and posts and through a force of adult volunteer Scouters numbering 4,500.^[2]

In 1946, the council formed an Order of the Arrow lodge when ceremonialists from Octoraro Lodge inducted the first members. In 1947, the totem of a blue heron was selected and the lodge was named Blue Heron Lodge.^[3]

[edit] Council camp

Climbing Tower at Camp Lions

Pipsico's Gregson Center and Museum

Pipsico Scout Reservation is located in Surry County, Virginia between Surry and Spring Grove on the banks of the James River. It encompasses 916 acres (3.71 km²) of woodland, open fields and marshes. The terrain includes a natural ravine system and ranges in elevation from 20 to more than 100 feet (30 m) above sea level. Pipsico Scout Reservation's northern boundary extends for a mile and half along the banks of the historic James River; directly across from the historic settlement of Jamestown. Pipsico is subdivided into 4 camps, Camp Lions, Camp Kiwanis, Camp Rotary and Camp Powhatan. Cliffs 60 to 75 feet (23 m) high overlook a picturesque mile long sandy beach and several cypress tree coves. The cliff walls are studded with marine shells and fossils providing tangible evidence of the James River's influence on life over the centuries. The beach has proven to be a beach comber's delight for discovering nautical treasures like shark teeth, prehistoric whale bones, driftwood and a peaceful observation site for beautiful shoreline sunrises and sunsets.

Tidewater Council purchased this land in 1958. It has been preserved and maintained as close to its natural state as possible. The "Red Trail" hiking trail that encircles the reservation provide a variety of visual and ecological wonders for hikers of all ages to marvel at. Along the trail you may chose to stop and see the "Pipsico Tree," a tulip poplar nearly 20 feet (6.1 m) in circumference that predates the arrival of the first English colonists or stroll along the sandy beach of the James River and observe the flight of the bald eagles that nest on the reservation.^[4]

Pipsico offers year-round Scouting in Camp Lions, Camp Kiwanis, Camp Rotary and Camp Powhatan, and summer camp in Camp Lions, which was renovated and reopened in 1988 with a new swimming pool, dining hall, and various support buildings. Summer camp activities include: Scoutcraft, climbing and rapelling tower, shooting sports, aquatics, hiking trails, a 17th century archaeological dig site and handicrafts.