Scouting in Wisconsin

Boy Scout Lane in Stevens Point

Scouting in Wisconsin 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.

Early history (1910-1950)

Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation is a Boy Scouts of America property located in Northern Wisconsin and serves the Scouts of the Northeast Illinois Council based in Highland Park, Illinois. Originally a logging camp, the Scouts purchased the land and first had campers in 1929. The camp is 1,560 acres (6 km²) in size.

Scouting in Wisconsin today

There are thirteen Boy Scouts of America local councils in Wisconsin.

Bay-Lakes Council

Bay-Lakes Council
Owner	Boy Scouts of America
Headquarters	Appleton, Wisconsin
Country	United States
Founded	1973
President	Tony Gahn
Council Commissioner	Don Johnston
Scout Executive	Mark Logemann
Website http://www.baylakesbsa.org
Scouting portal

The Bay-Lakes Council is headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, and also serves Scouts in Michigan. Bay-Lakes Council #635 was formed on July 1, 1973; the product of a merger between six Northeast Wisconsin Councils: Badger, based in Fond du Lac, Waumaegesako, based in Manitowoc, Nicolet Area, based in Green Bay, Valley, based in Menasha, Twin Lakes, based in Oshkosh, and Kettle Moraine, based in Sheboygan. Bay-Lakes Council is one of the largest Boy Scout Councils in the United States. The council is served by Awase Lodge, #61 of the Order of the Arrow.

Organization

Bay-Lakes Council has a professional staff of approximately 33 people. There are over 6,000 youth members in the council's 22-county geographic area. The Council number is 635.

Districts

Bay-Lakes Council is divided into seven districts.

• Gathering Waters District covers parts of Calumet, Langlade, Waupaca, and Winnebago Counties, the Menominee Reservation, and all of Outagamie and Shawano counties.
• Kettle Country District covers Ozaukee county, and parts of Dodge and Washington counties.
• Lakeshore District covers Calumet, Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties.
• Ledge to Lakes District Fond du Lac, Green Lake, and Marquette counties.
• Northern Lights District covers Marinette, Oconto and Langlade Counties.
• Twin Lakes District Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago counties.
• Voyageur District covers Brown, Door and Kewaunee counties.

Board of Directors

The Council's board of directors comprises the seven district chairpersons, the council president, council commissioner, and council treasurer.

Endowment

An endowment fund has been created for Bay-Lakes Council to help ensure the financial viability of the council into the future.

Camps

The Bay-Lakes Council offers three main summer camp programs: Cub Scout World Camp Rokilio, a three-day Cub Scout camp; Gardner Dam Scout Camp, which is geared toward older Scouts and offers many high-adventure activities, and Bear Paw Scout Camp (located in Mountain, Wisconsin). However, the Bay-Lakes Council now has a fourth camp program based at Camp Twin Lakes. This program is a 4-day Program for Weblos to transition into boy scouting. There is also a rustic camp, Camp Maywood-Wilderness, near Wautoma, WI which is primarily used for Wood Badge and JLT courses.

Bear Paw Scout Camp

Bear Paw Scout Camp is a Boy Scout Camp that offers 36 different merit badges and numerous activities. It has year-round camping, of both indoor and outdoor. The camp's website is www.bpsc.org and the online forum is http://www.bpsc.org/bb

Camp Twin Lakes

Camp Twin Lakes is located on County Road K, 11 miles (18 km) south of Waupaca, WI The camp is 425 acres (1.72 km²) of woods and meadowland. It has three lakes that are used for swimming, boating, canoeing, and fishing. During spring, summer, fall seasons there are sixteen campsites. The sites range from improved sites for group camping to leave-no-trace sites that are ideal for backpacking. Some of the campsites are family campsites for registered scouters and family.

The camp has many hiking trails both in camp and out of camp. There are ½ mile nature trail, 2-mile (3.2 km), 3-mile (4.8 km), or 5-mile (8.0 km) trails. Out of camp trips can be ten or 15 miles (24 km).

There are three winter buildings, two twenty-four person and an eighteen person building. At the present time^[when?] none of the buildings are co-ed. Separate arrangements can be made for female leaders for sleeping at camp with their units.

Camp Twin Lakes is close to Nordic Mt. Ski Hill and Hartman Creek State Park for cross-country skiing. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and ice fishing are available in the winter in camp.

Originally designed for Cub Scout Day Camp, Camp Twin Lakes is now the home of Twin Lakes Weblos Resident Camp. It is open during the summer for sessions that last four days long (sun-wed and wed-sat). Weblos get a taste of what it is like to be a boy scout. This not only helps out the number of weblos crossing over to boy scouts, but helps the weblos have a better summer experience.

Gardner Dam Scout Camp

Gardner Dam Scout Camp is located along the Wolf River near the town of White Lake in Langlade County. Gardner Dam offers a variety of merit badges and numerous High Adventure opportunities. Located along the Wolf River, Gardner Dam features Whitewater Kayaking, Tubing, and Fishing. The camp inhabits both sides of the river with one side being dedicated to campsites and the other side being dedicated to the numerous program areas. Unlike most camps, Gardner Dam is a patrol cooking camp, meaning that the scout troops cook their own meals in their campsites being provided the various ingredients from the camp's commissary. There is a man-made "pond" fed directly from the Wolf River. The water flows freely through the pond and is held in by a Dam. Because of this design, the water avoids becoming stagnant because fresh water is constantly being fed from the river. Gardner Dam also has a 40 ft (12 m) climbing tower available for Climbing merit badge and climbing during free time. In 2008 a brand new state of the art shooting sports facility was built. The shooting sports area has a section for both rifle shooting, and shotgun trap shooting. The camp is also available in Spring, Fall, and Winter months for scout troops to come and camp on their own. In the "off-season" troops may stay in either the older Wisconsin Electric lodge, or the newer Wausau Homes Adventure Lodge which has indoor bathrooms including showers.

Cub Scout World, Camp Rokilio

This camp was originally founded in 1926 as a Boy Scout Camp. Original funding came from several service clubs, the Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, and later the Optimist clubs, hence the name Rokilio. Cabins were built and Rokilio became a winter destination as well. Sledding down the driveway from the cabins to the dining hall became classic. Camp Rokilio is 213 acres (0.86 km²) of hilly terrain with tall timber located in the Kettle Moraine seven miles (11 km) east of Kiel, Wisconsin. The camp is on Cedar lake and has a waterfront. In the late 1990s, Cub Scout day camp moved from Twin Lakes, and Cub Scout World at Rokilio was created. The camp features six program theme buildings: Fort J.J. Keller, Gold Miner's Village (this is no longer in use due to the new Webollos camp, Twin Lakes), Gunderson Viking Bäten, Knauf Space Station, Kohler Castle, Oertle Train Station.

The buildings are home to 15 sessions of four-day and three-night Cub Scout resident camp from June through August and weekend use by all units the remainder of the year. Cub Scout World, Camp Rokilio offers waterfront activities in Cedar Lake, BB guns and archery ranges, and a natural bog conducive to nature hikes and environmental studies.

AWASE Lodge #61

Bay-Lakes Council is also the home to the AWASE Lodge #61 of the Order of the Arrow. AWASE Lodge was chartered on January 1, 1974. The name AWASE originally derived from the word Owasse, which means "bear" in the Menominee Indian language, was adopted as the name for this lodge, which was created as new lodge, due to the merger of the six Northeast Wisconsin Councils. The original lodges, Shaginappi #61 (founded 03/11/1932), Sinawa #73 (founded 11/27/1934), Chequah #194 (founded 3/4/1941), Wa Zi Ya Ta # 233 (founded 4/28/1943), Day Noomp #244 (founded 7/20/1943), and Wolverine #501 (12/22/1953) chose Lodge #61 for the new AWASE Lodge. Some arrowmen have chosen to correlate the lodge number "61" to signify "six lodges to one."

Blackhawk Area Council

Main article: Scouting in Illinois

Blackhawk Area Council is headquartered in Rockford, Illinois and serves southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois. It runs Canyon Camp, located between Stockton and Apple River, Illinois, as well as Camp Lowden near Oregon, Illinois. Both camps are very successful, and are served by Wulapeju Lodge #140.

• Arrowhead Districtwww.arrowheadbsa.org
• Sycamore District
• Wetassa District
• Wanchanagi District
• White Eagle District

Chippewa Valley Council

The Chippewa Valley Council is headquartered in Eau Claire.

• Blue Hills District
• Clearwater District
• Glacier's End District
• Tall Oaks District

Gateway Area Council

Gateway Area Council serves Scouts in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

• Seven Rivers District
• Soaring Eagle District
• Winding Trails District
• Camp Decorah
  • Camp Decorah is a Boy Scouts of America camp located approximately 3 miles (5 km) east of Galesville, Wisconsin on the Black River. Camp Decorah is 330 acres (1.3 km²) of wooded sand hills that overlook the Black River. The camp is easily accessible with its main entrance on Council Bay Road, seven miles north of Holmen, WI and four miles south of Galesville, WI.

Glacier's Edge Council

Sinnissippi Council served Scouts in south-central Wisconsin and north-central Illinois before it merged with the Madison area Four Lakes Council. It is now called Glacier's Edge Council. It is headquartered in Madison, with a service center in Janesville. The council operates three camping facilities: Camp Indian Trails, Ed Bryant Scout Reservation, and the Woodman Center for Camping and Education.

• Indian Trails District
• Mohawk District
• Southern Lakes District
• Wisconsin River District
• Yahara District

Hiawathaland Council

Main article: Scouting in Michigan

Hiawathaland Council serves Scouts in Michigan and Wisconsin.

Indianhead Council

Main article: Scouting in Minnesota

Indianhead Council merged with Viking Council in 2005 to create Northern Star Council. The Indianhead Council was a geographic subdivision of the Boy Scouts of America headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and including Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota, and much of western Wisconsin. Its name came from the shape of the Wisconsin-Minnesota border, which is said to resemble that of the head of an Indian. As well as the office building in Saint Paul, facilities included Tomahawk Scout Reservation near Rice Lake, Wisconsin,^[1] Phillipo Scout Reservation near Cannon Falls, Minnesota, Fred C. Andersen Scout Camp near Hudson, Wisconsin, and Kiwanis Scout Camp near Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota.

Potawatomi Area Council

Potawatomi Area Council
Owner	Boy Scouts of America
Headquarters	Waukesha, Wisconsin
Country	United States
President	James P. Murray
Council Commissioner	Bob Jarchow
Scout Executive	Pat Scherer
Website http://www.pacbsa.org
Scouting portal

The Potawatomi Area Council is headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The Potowatomi Area Council serves all of Waukesha County and portions of Dodge, Jefferson, Walworth and Washington Counties. The Wag-O-Shag Lodge is the Order of the Arrow lodge for the Potawatomi Area Council.

Organization

The Potowatomi Area Council has a professional staff of approximately 15 people. It comprises 21 Venturing Crews, 101 Cub Scout Packs and 78 Boy Scout Troops in three districts. The Council Number is 651.

Districts

The Potowatomi Area Council is divided into three districts:

• Northern Lights District, Serving the communities of Brookfield, Elm Grove, Pewaukee, Sussex, Menomonee Falls and Germantown.
• Onatah District, Serving the communities of Waukesha, Mukwonago, New Berlin, Muskego, East Troy, Big Bend and North Prairie.
• River Trails District, Serving the communities of Hartland, Delafield, Oconomowoc, Watertown, Sullivan, Dousman, Eagle, Palmyra and a portion of Johnson Creek.

Council Camp

Camp Long Lake is the council camp for Potawatomi Area Council. Camp Long Lake is located in St. Cloud, Wisconsin. It is located on Long Lake, an approximately 7 miles (11 km), shallow lake caused by glaciation. It presently runs year-round with only a few weekends during the year with no events taking place. The Camp Ranger is Mike "Shorty" Zindars, who has served in that capacity since 2003.

History

Camp Long Lake was purchased in 1945 by the Potawatomi Area Council. During 1946, its first summer of operation, 308 boys camped over a period of six weeks. The camp season eventually expanded to eight weeks by 1965 and served 1701 boys in 1970 or 1971.

M. H. "Uncle Bud" Smith served as Camp Ranger from 1957–1979 and as Camp Director from 1972-1979. He was responsible for much of the program development that still affects camp today. Cary Kazcik served as Ranger from 1980–1987 and also as director from 1981-1986. Jim Greicar then became the Ranger in 1987 to 2002. He also served as Camp Director from 1995-1997. Mike "Shorty" Zindars was hired as Ranger in 2003. The camp season was shortened to five weeks in 1994, but was expanded back to six weeks in 2001. In 2005, the camp week was further expanded to seven weeks due to attendance of 1103 Scouts in the 2004 season.

Fred Pabst donated the original funds to construct the Dining Hall in 1950. The Dining Hall has since become a central area of camp which brings back many fond memories to Scouts and Scouters alike. Adult and Junior Leader Training courses have their patrol flags proudly hung from the rafters along with National Jamboree flags dating back to the 1950s. The Dining Hall underwent a major renovation completed in 1991.

Order of the Arrow Wag-O-Shag Lodge has been active in promoting and serving camp virtually since its beginning. The lodge donated funds for what is now the Nature Cabin in 1953. It later raised part of the funds for its 2003 renovation into the OA/Nature Cabin.

Camp Long Lake has grown and kept changing with the times. Traditional merit badge offerings were augmented with a Project First Class program in 1991 after changes in Boy Scout advancement requirements that challenged boys to complete their First Class rank in a year. A Climbing Tower was built to challenge Scouts 14 years of age and older in 1998. The Trail to Eagle program was added in 2002 to answer that call of many Star and Life Scouts needing assistance in obtaining the difficult required merit badges. Golfing merit badge was also added that year due to the increasing popularity of the sport. In 2004 a whitewater outpost was added for Scouts who are at least 13 years of age. In 2005, photography merit badge was added to the program.

Starting in 2009, the Council undertook to extensively update the Camp's shooting range facilities with the construction of a BB-Gun and Slingshot building and ranges which opened in 2010 and the construction of a large standing gun range for rifle and shotgun shooting activities which is scheduled to open in 2011.

Additional Camp Information

Camp Long Lake has the following merit badge areas:

• "Aqualand" (Lifesaving, Swimming, Watersports, Small Boat Sailing, Snorkeling, Lifesaving BSA, Mile Swim)
• Archery
• Boating (Canoeing, Motorboating, Rowing, Kayaking BSA)
• Camp Craft (Camping, Cooking, Orienteering, Pioneering, Wilderness Survival)
• Handicrafts (Basketry, Leatherworking, Woodcarving)
• Climbing Tower
• Project First Class Area (New Scout skills, introductory skills, Fireman Chip, Totin Chit, Chemical Fuel Chit)
• Shotgun and Rifle Range
• Ecology/Conservation (12 different Eco/Con badges)
• Trail to Eagle (Citizenship in the World, Citizenship in the Nation, Personal Fitness, Golf, Photography)
• Health Lodge (provides emergency services, also First Aid and Medicine merit badges)

It also contains the following:

• A large mess hall and kitchen
• Two buildings for winter camping
• Three shower facilities divided by gender and age groups
• Various support and maintenance facilities

Samoset Council

Main article: Samoset Council

Samoset Council is headquartered in Weston (near Wausau), and serves the north central part of Wisconsin and was founded in 1920. It gets its name from an early Boy Scout camp in the town of Harrison, named Camp Sam-O-Set which closed in 1934, a year before the construction of Camp Tesomas. Tesomas is one of three camps that are part of Crystal Lake Scout Reservation, the others being Akela's World Cub Scout Camp, and Hanna Venture Base. Samoset Council is served by Tom Kita Chara Lodge of the Order of the Arrow.

Three Harbors Council

Main article: Three Harbors Council

In September 2011, Southeast Wisconsin Council and Milwaukee County Council merged to form Three Harbors Council.^[2]

Voyageurs Area Council

Main article: Voyageurs Area Council

Headquartered in Hermantown, Minnesota, Voyageurs Area Council serves Scouts in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Its Order of the Arrow Lodge is Ka'niss Ma'ingan Lodge #196.

Girl Scouting in Wisconsin

There are six Girl Scout councils in Wisconsin though several have merged in the last few years and one may be merging.

Girl Scouts of Wisconsin - Badgerland Council

Badgerland Council serves more than 14,200 girls and has some 4,500 adult volunteers in south-central and south-western Wisconsin. It was formed in June 2009 by the merge of three councils and part of a fourth: Girl Scouts of Badger Council, Girl Scouts of Black Hawk Council, Girl Scouts of Riverland Council, and the Wisconsin part of Girl Scouts of Green Hills Council.

Headquarters:
Website: http://www.gsbadgerland.org/

Services centers are in Beloit, Madison, La Crosse, and Platteville.

Camps:

• Brandenberg is west of Madison
• Camp Black Hawk is near Antigo, Wisconsin and is a summer resident camp.
• Camp Ehawee is 308 acres (1.25 km²) of forest and prairie.
• Echo Valley
• Oakwood Knoll is 80 acres (320,000 m²) of woodland.
• Stetler is in a ravine next to a trout stream.

Girl Scouts of Manitou Council

Manitou Council serves 7,500 girls in Calumet, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Washington counties in Wisconsin.

It was slated to be merged with several other councils into Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes. In December 2008, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals gave a preliminary injunction enjoining the national organization from changing the status of Manitou Council.[1] [2]

Headquarters: Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Website: http://www.gsmanitou.org

Girl Scouts Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines

See Scouting in Minnesota.

Headquarters: Waite Park, Minnesota
Website: http://www.gslakesandpines.org

Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys

See Scouting in Minnesota.

Headquarters: St. Paul, Minnesota
Website: http://www.girlscoutsrv.org

Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes

In partnership with over 6,000 adult volunteers, Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes (GSNWGL) serves nearly 20,000 girls in 58 counties in northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The council's jurisdiction spans about 400 miles from east to west and about 300 miles from north to south.

It was formed on May 1, 2008 by the merger of Girl Scouts of Birch Trails Council, Girl Scouts of the Fox River Area, Girl Scouts of Indian Waters, Girl Scouts of Lac Baie Council, Girl Scouts of Peninsula Waters and Girl Scouts of Woodland Council.

Headquarters: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Website: http://www.gsnwgl.org/

Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast

Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (GSWISE) serves some 33,000 girls in Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha, as well as the southern part of Ozaukee and eastern parts of Dodge and Jefferson counties.

Headquarters: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Website: http://www.gswise.org

Camps and centers

• Alice Chester Center, East Troy
• Camp Pottawatomie Hills, East Troy
• Camp Winding River, Neosho
• Chinook Program Center & Activity Station, Waukesha
• Girl Scout Service Center, Racine
• Marion Chester Read Center, Milwaukee
• Silverbrook Program Center, West Bend
• Trefoil Oaks Program Center, Kenosha
• Volunteer Center/Council Office, Waukesha
• Woodhaven, Kenosha

See also

	Scouting portal
	Wisconsin portal

• Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps
• Racine Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps
• Boy Scout Lane

References

1. ^ Tomahawk Scout Reservation
2. ^ "Scoutheast Wisconsin Council and Milwaukee County Council Approve Consolidation". http://www.scoutingnews.org/2011/09/08/three-harbors-council/. Retrieved 8 September 2011. 

External links

• Scouting Wisconsin
• Glaciers Edge Council
  • Ed Bryant Scout Reservation
• Bay Lakes Council
  • Voyageur District
  • Bear Paw Scout Camp
  • Troop 50 Menasha
• Potawatomi Area Council
  • Camp Long Lake
• Camp Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Unofficial Camp Site
• SE WI McKinley Elementary Cub Scout Pack 515
• Gateway Area Council
  • Camp Decorah