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		Mission Statement The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Who We Are

The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated in 1910. Boy Scouting started in Marquette prior to that time. Troop 305 chartered to the First United Methodist Church dates from that era and is among the oldest in the nation. The Hiawathaland Council was incorporated in 1944 as a merger of five Boy Scout Councils in the Upper Peninsula.

Hiawathaland Council is located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and is geographically separated by the other councils in the state by the Great Lakes. Lake Superior is to the north, to the south is Lake Michigan, Lake Huron to the east. Wisconsin is to the west and Canada is to the northeast.  It consists of all the Upper Peninsula except southern Menominee County and eastern Gogebic County plus Florence County and Niagara in Wisconsin.

It serves nearly 2,500 young people yearly in almost 100 Cub Scout Pack, Boy Scout Troops, Venture Crews, and Explorer Posts with over 1,000 registered adult leaders. The council is divided into five districts:

1. Chippewa — Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac Counties.
2. Copper Country — Houghton, Keweenaw, Ontonagon, Baraga, and western Gogebic Counties.
3. Pere Marquette — Marquette and Alger Counties.
4. Red Buck — Delta and Schoolcraft Counties.
5. Menominee/Iron Range — Dickinson, Iron, and northern Menominee Counties.

Summer camp operations have been held at  various locations in the Upper Peninsula through the years beginning at Harlow Lake in the 1920’s. They were consolidated into Camp Hiawatha in 1967. It is located on Doe Lake Road off the Rapid River Truck Trail 12 miles south-west of Munising.  Boy Scout Summer Camp, Junior Leader Training Conference, Cub Scout Resident Camp, Webelos Woods, Order of the Arrow events, and training events are held there.

In 1977, the current Council Service Center in Harvey was purchased. It provides a trading post where uniforms, books, badges, and equipment are available. Also, the staff maintains advancement, membership, and training records there as well as producing promotional and informational pieces for activities and programs.

The staff consists two professional positions and three Council Service Center employees. Scout Executive Dewey Jones has overall responsibility for Council operations and serves the Copper Country District, Chippewa District, and Marquette. Senior District Executive Joe Erickson serves the Red Buck and Menominee Iron Range Districts and the communities outside of Marquette in Marquette County and Alger County. He is also the council’s outdoor programs director. 

In the Service Center, Linda Zorza handles bookkeeping and production functions.  Denise Dawydko is the trading post manager. James Schlak is a part-time employee responsible for membership and advancement records. The Council Service Center is open from 8:30 am to 5 pm from Monday to Friday.