Scouting serves young men and women in every part of the country through more than 300 local council service centers. Each council helps chartered organizations in its geographic area to effectively use the Scouting program and to expand the use of the program to other community groups.

Tidewater Council, No. 596, is the fifth oldest council in the country and traces its origin to 1911, two years after the establishment of the Scouting movement in America and only three years after the founding of the movement itself by Sir Robert Baden-Powell in England. In 1934, the Council formally adopted the Cub Scout program.

The challenge of the day was "new ambition for greater service to more boys throughout America." The council has a current strength of five districts, plus an Exploring Division, which encompasses the Virginian cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth and the North Carolina counties of Currituck, Camden, Dare, Chowan, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans. The council serves more than 21,000 boys through more than 400 packs, troops and posts with a force of 5,500 adult volunteer leaders.

The Council arranges Scout Days with the Norfolk Tides, Norfolk Admirals, and Hampton Roads Mariners, and also hosts the Freeze-O-Ree and the Camporall (for Webelos), the Scout Fest, and residential summer camps at the Pipsico Scout Reservation in Surry along the James River. The council offers a Scout Store and is located at 1032 Heatherwood Drive, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455-6675. The Council can be reached via telephone at (757) 497-2688 or e-mail at Tide596BSA@aol.com.

Visit them on the web at
www.tidewaterbsa.com