Scouting in South Carolina

Scouting in South Carolina 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)

In 1914, the BSA gave local councils the power to ban African Americans from Scouting. Until 1974, some southern councils of the Boy Scouts of America were still racially segregated. The Old Hickory council did not integrate until 1974.

Scouting in South Carolina today

There are six Boy Scouts of America local councils in South Carolina.

Blue Ridge Council

• Foothills District
• Long Cane District
• Oconee District
• Pickens District
• Reedy Falls District
• Saluda River District
• Scoutreach Division
• Six and Twenty District
• Southbounder District
• Camp Old Indian

Coastal Carolina Council

• Black River District
• Etiwan District
• Kiawah District
• Lowcountry District
• Pineland District
• Swamp Fox District
• Twin Rivers District

www.coastalcarolinabsa.org/

Georgia Carolina Council

Main article: Scouting in Georgia

Council office located in Augusta, Georgia, includes districts in South Carolina and Georgia.

Indian Waters Council

• Chinquapin
• Congaree
• Edisto
• Etowah
• Wateree
• Catawba
• ScoutReach
• Official Website

Palmetto Council

• Pinckney District - Spartanburg County School Districts 1 & 2 and all of Cherokee County.
• L & C District - All of Lancaster County and All of Chester County.
• Middle Tyger District - Spartanburg County School Districts 4, 5 & 6.
• Piedmont District - Spartanburg County School Districts 3 & 7 and all of Union County.
• York District - All of York County.*

• Official Website

• Camp Bob Hardin

Pee Dee Area Council

Main article: Pee Dee Area Council

The Pee Dee Area Council [1] covers 11 counties in northeastern South Carolina.

Girl Scouting in South Carolina

As of January 2007 there are five Girl Scout council offices in South Carolina; however, Girl Scouts is in the process of realigning councils mostly by merging old councils.

In addition two councils headquartered in other states serve girls in South Carolina.

• Girl Scouts Hornets' Nest Council in North Carolina includes York, South Carolina
• Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia in Georgia includes Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell Edgefield, McCormick, Jasper, and Hampton counties.

Girl Scouts of South Carolina - Mountains to Midlands

Will cover Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lexington, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, and Union counties in the north-west of South Carolina. It should serve about 15,000 Girl Scouts. The merger should be effective on May 1, 2007.

Camps:

• Camp Congaree - Lexington, South Carolina - 750 acres (3.0 km²) with a 25-acre (100,000 m²) lake
• Camp Mary Elizabeth - Spartanburg, South Carolina - an Urban camp, 60 acres (240,000 m²) within the city of Spartanburg.
• Camp WaBak - Marietta, South Carolina - 135 acres (0.5 km²) in the mountains
• Camp Star Fort - Greenwood county - 75 acres (300,000 m²)
• Camp Wistagoman - Anderson county - 25 acres (100,000 m²)
• Camp Ponderosa - 40 acres (160,000 m²)
• Camp Drew - 11 acres (45,000 m²)
• Camp Blue Lodge - 50 acres (200,000 m²)

It will be made up of the following current councils:

Girl Scout Council of The Congaree Area, Inc. Columbia, South Carolina[2]

Girl Scouts of The Old 96 Council, Inc Mauldin, South Carolina[3]

Girl Scouts of The Piedmont Area Council Spartanburg, South Carolina[4]

Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina

Council area: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg and Williamsburg counties.

Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina (GSESC) began operations in January 2007 following the merger of Girl Scout Council of the Pee Dee Area, Inc. and Girl Scouts of Carolina Low Country. The council serves over 15,000 girls and 3,000 adults across an eighteen-county region. Its service centers are located in Florence, South Carolina and North Charleston, South Carolina.

GSESC also administers two camps: Camp Low Country in Cordesville, South Carolina and Sandy Ridge Girl Scout Program and Training Center in Bennettsville, South Carolina. Each offers year-round activities as well as a summer resident camp.

External links

• Blue Ridge Council, BSA
• Coastal Carolina Council, BSA
• Georgia Carolina Council, BSA
• Indian Waters Council, BSA
• Palmetto Council, BSA
• Pee Dee Area Council, BSA
• Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina