Patriots' Path Council

  1. Home
  2. Wiki

Patriots' Path Council (#358)
OwnerScouting America
HeadquartersCedar Knolls, New Jersey
CountryUnited States
Founded2000
PresidentRobert C. Brady
Council CommissionerGerard "Jay" Deboey
Scout ExecutiveMarc T. Andreo
Website
http://www.ppcbsa.org
 Scouting portal

The Patriots' Path Council is a not-for-profit organization that establishes ideals in youth to help them make ethical choices by instilling values of good character, citizenship, personal fitness, and guidance. It serves members in the counties of Morris, Sussex, Somerset, Union, Hunterdon, and parts of Middlesex in New Jersey. [1] It was established in 1999 with the merger of the Morris-Sussex Area Council (1936–1999) and the Watchung Area Council (1926–1999).[2] On February 6, 2014, Patriots Path Council absorbed several Scouting units from the dissolved Central New Jersey Council (1999-2014).

Organization

[edit]

The council is divided into the following districts:

District Name Communities Served District Executive
Skylands Andover Borough, Andover Township, Branchville Borough, Byram Township, Frankford Township, Franklin Borough, Fredon Township, Green Township, Hamburg Borough, Hampton Township, Hardyston Township, Hopatcong Borough, Lafayette Township, Montague Township, Netcong Borough, Ogdensburg Borough, Sandyston Township, Sparta Township, Stanhope Borough, Stillwater Township, Sussex Borough, Town of Newton, Vernon Township, Walpack Township, Wantage Township, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Brookside, Budd Lake, Chester, Denville, Dover, Far Hills, Flanders, Gladstone, Jefferson Township, Liberty Corner, Long Valley/Schooley's Mountain, Mendham, Mine Hill, Mt. Arlington, Mt. Olive, Peapack, Randolph, Rockaway Township, Rockaway (Borough), Roxbury, and Wharton Rob Behan
Fishawack Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Cedar Knolls, Chatham Borough, Chatham Township, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding Township, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Montville, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown, Mountain Lakes, New Vernon, Parsippany, Pequannock, Riverdale, Towaco, Whippany Sean Trimmer
Pioneer Berkeley Heights, Fanwood, Garwood, Gillette, Long Hill Township, Meyersville, Millington, Mountainside, Murray Hill, New Providence, North Plainfield, Scotch Plains, Stirling, Summit, Warren, Watchung, Westfield, Avenel, Carteret, Clark, Colonia, Cranford, Elizabeth, Fords, Hillside, Iselin, Kenilworth, Linden, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, Port Reading, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park, Springfield, Union, Winfield Park, and Woodbridge Brian Day
Raritan Valley Bound Brook, Bradley Gardens, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Dunellen, Edison, Finderne, Flagtown, Green Brook, Highland Park, Hillsborough, Lamington, Manville, Martinsville, Metuchen, Middlesex, New Brunswick, Neshanic, Neshanic Station, North Branch, Piscataway, Plainfield, Pluckemin, Raritan, Somerset, Somerville, South Bound Brook, South Branch, and South Plainfield [3] Marc Maratea
Jockey Hollow All communities within the Patriots' Path Council. The Jockey Hollow District works with special needs Scouts [4]

Camps

[edit]

Winnebago Scout Reservation

[edit]
Winnebago Scout Reservation
LocationRockaway, New Jersey
FoundedAugust 3, 1941

History

[edit]

Although the camp was founded in 1941, the history of the property dates back farther. The Lenni Lenape Indians were early inhabitants of the area. During the Revolutionary War iron mines were established. Norwegian immigrants came and built dairy farms in the 1800s. In the early 1900s, Durham Pond was created by intentional flooding to provide water for New Jersey's growing population. In 1916, a troop from Montclair camped by the pond. However, they had to leave after a week due to complications.[5]

The land was purchased in 1940. By 1941, an actual camp was established. The admission fee was $7.50 per scout. Each campsite had an icebox, stove, and a latrine with water pumped from a well. Food was included in the price, but it had to be cooked by the campers. There were 5 campsites, each with room for 30 campers. Scouts slept on mattresses stuffed with straw inside tents.

Facilities

[edit]

North End

  • Flintlocks Building is where the "Flintlocks BSA, Inc."- a group of retired scouter volunteers- have a state-of-the-art workshop to do camp repairs, build facilities, and make craft kits.
  • Winter Lodge is the camp office and used for off-season camping.
  • Kiwanis Cabin Sleeps 18. Contains wood stove, electric cooking stove, stainless sink & counter, refrigerator, table and benches, electricity, running water from April 15 – October 15.
  • Winnebago Cabin Sleep 12. Contains wood stove, table and chairs, electricity.
  • Little Mahee Cabin Sleeps 10. Contains wood stove, table with benches, electricity. 2 adjacent lean-tos are available separately.
  • Wink Dousa Cabin Sleeps 20. Contains wood stove, table and benches, electricity.
  • Bath and Shower House Hot water and flush toilets for all campers. Open year-round.

South End

  • Corwin Training Center Sleeps 40. Contains gas heat, tables and chairs, separate kitchen area with large gas range, refrigeration, electricity, year round water and restrooms.
  • Lewis Cabin Sleeps 12. Contains Wood stove, tables and chairs, electricity.
  • Craig Cabin Sleeps 16 in main room + 4 inside room. Contains Propane heat (fee), tables and chairs, electricity.
  • Garrity Cabin Sleeps 12. Contains propane heat (fee), tables and chairs, electricity.
  • Searing Cabin/Site Cabin Sleeps 4. Lean-to Sleeps 4. Contains wood stove, tables and chairs, electricity, one lean-to.

Campsites

[edit]

North End

  • Algonquin
  • Cayuga
  • Cherokee
  • Cheyenne
  • Chippewa
  • Comanche
  • Delaware
  • Iroquois
  • Lenape Site Sleeps 24. Contains Six Lean-tos and Pavilion.
  • Onondanga Site Sleeps 24. Contains Six Lean-tos and Pavilion.
  • Shawnee Site Sleeps 16. Contains Four Lean-tos.
  • Wacabuc
  • Witauchsundin

South End

  • CJ Helen
  • Craig Field large open group site

Frontier Sites (Primitive sites on east side of Durham Pond)

  • Jim Bowie
  • Kit Carson

Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation

[edit]
Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation
LocationStanhope, New Jersey
Founded1949

History

[edit]

Camp Somers

[edit]

Facilities

[edit]
  • Cabin #1 Sleeps 14. Double bunks with mattresses. Contains wood stove, 4-burner electric range top, table, tent camping around cabin, latrine.
  • Cabin #4 Sleeps 24. Double bunks with mattresses. Contains a room with 2 double bunks and mattress, and a full-size fridge. Outside contains 3 4-burner gas stoves, and a fire pit.
  • Cabin #5 Sleeps 12. Double bunks with mattresses. Contains wood stove, tables, tent camping around cabin, latrine and close to off-season water supply.
  • Cabin #6 Sleeps 12. Double bunks with mattresses. Contains wood Stove, 4 electric burner range top, tables, tent camping around site, latrine and close to off season water supply.
  • OA Lodge Sleeps 28. Double bunks with mattresses (4 – back room, 24 – front). Contains oil heat, full kitchen, tables and chairs, tent camping in back, close to lake. Year-round water and flush toilet.
  • Tuney Lodge Meeting room only, no sleeping. Contains conference table, seating for 25, bathroom, heat and air conditioning flush toilet, and 8 computers for scouts to work on merit badges. During summer camp, Eagles Nest is housed in here.
  • Hartley Lodge (Dining) Hall Capacity: Seats 300 (12 to a table). Contains kitchen available for extra fee in warm months only – May 1 to October 31.
  • Bath and Shower House Hot water and flush toilets for all campers. Open year-round.
  • Ham Shack Camp Somers' Amateur (Ham) Radio Station.

Campsites

[edit]
  • Site 2 (5 Lean-tos) – barrier-free site near parking lot
  • Site 3A
  • Site 6a
  • Site 3B
  • Site 4 (Shelter)
  • Site 5 (Shelter)
  • Site 6A (Shelter)
  • Site 6B
  • Site 7 (2 Lean-tos)
  • Site 8
  • Site 9 (Shelter)
  • Site 10A
  • Site 10B
  • Site 10C
  • Site 11
  • Site 12A (Shelter)
  • Site 12B
  • Site 13

Camp Wheeler

[edit]

Facilities

[edit]
  • Wheeler Office Sleeps 25 for meetings or 15 cots for sleeping. Contains wood stove or propane heat, electricity, refrigerator, small microwave.

Flush toilets in season. (April 15 – October 15)

  • Wolf Den #1 Sleeps 24, Double bunks with mattresses. Contains wood stove, latrine. Tent camping around site.
  • Wolf Den #2 Sleeps 24, Double bunks with mattresses. Contains wood stove, latrine. Tent camping around site.

Campsites

[edit]
  • Site 17
  • Site 20 (Shelter)
  • Site 21
  • Site 22
  • Site 23

Woapalanne Lodge

[edit]

The Order of the Arrow is served by Woapalanne Lodge.

In 1999, the Boy Scouts of America oversaw a number of council mergers. In 2000, the Morris-Sussex Area Council (based in Denville, NJ) and the Watchung Area Council (based in Mountainside, N.J.) underwent such a merger, forming the Patriots’ Path Council – now based out of Cedar Knolls, N.J.

As there can only be one lodge for every council, there were merger meetings between the two lodges (Allemakewink #54 and Miquin #68). Since it was a NOAC year, and Allemakewink was both celebrating its 70th anniversary and hosting a Section Conclave, it did not want to merge immediately. The merger committee decided it was best to merge the lodges in the following year. The merger committee wanted the number to be low because both prior lodges had lower numbers (#54 and #68) and wanted to incorporate elements of the two previous lodges into the new one. The name decided on was Woapalanne #43, roughly translating to “eagle”. The merger committee decided that the lodge color would be green, and that the totem would be an eagle with outlined feathers. In 2005, however, the totem was modified by the LEC to incorporate the eagle exclusively.

The Winter Banquet was held that January at the Morristown Armory, the first time both lodges met as one.

In the spring of 2001, the lodge held its first Fellowship Day, and two Ordeal Weekends. The lodge decided to have two Ordeal Weekends in the spring (one at each camp) and one Ordeal Weekend in the fall (rotating the camp). The lodge's first National Jamboree was also in this year. Also starting in 2001, the lodge decided to hold an annual OA Day at each summer camp at which service would be accompanied by a brotherhood conversion ceremony for eligible Ordeal members and a cracker barrel for all brothers attending camp. Peter Keays, the Lodge's first chief, was elected to be NE-2B Section Chief in that same year – the first in the Lodge's young history to hold a section position.

In 2002, Woapalanne participated in its first NOAC at Indiana University. The theme was “Test Yourself and So Discover”. Woapalanne was one of only two lodges in the Northeast Region and one of only eight in the country to earn the E. Urner Goodman Camping Award.

In 2003, Woapalanne held its first section conclave for Section NE-2B at Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation. The theme was “How Uncas Got His Groove Back.” In the summer of 2004, NOAC was held at Iowa State University, and a contingent of Woaplanne brothers attended. That same summer, the lodge LEC voted to give a donation to the council for the purchase of a new sailboat for Camp Somers. The boat was named the S.S. Woapalanne, in honor of the donation. In the fall of 2004, the lodge created a new campsite near the chapel at Camp Somers. Site 14 received the name “Woapalanne” to commemorate the lodge's service in its construction.

In 2005, the lodge participated in its second National Jamboree.

On Jan. 1, 2006, the lodge celebrated its 5th anniversary. At the NE-2B Section Conclave, our immediate Past Lodge Chief, Joe Maugeri, was voted in as the Section Vice Chief, the second lodge member to hold a section position. In the summer of 2006, a Woapalanne contingent of 8 traveled to NOAC at Michigan State University.

In 2008, the sections were reshuffled, and Woapalanne found itself in Section NE-7A, along with Central NJ, Northern NJ, and Greater NY council lodges. Our lodge sent a small contingent to ArrowCorps5 to build trails in George Washington National Forest.

In 2009, 22 Arrowmen from Woapalanne traveled to Indiana U. for NOAC 2009. Frank Caccavale began a two-year stint as Lodge Chief. Our lodge was designated as a Quality Lodge for the year.

2010 saw us host our first Section NE-7A conclave at Camp Winnebago, with the theme “A Band of Brotherhood.” It would be the last, as we were, once again, re-sectioned into NE-5A, encompassing most of New Jersey.

In 2011, 16 of us traveled by van out to West Virginia, where we joined Week 2 of SummitCorps, a national service project to build a mountain biking trail in New River Gorge National Park. We were, once again, named as a Quality Lodge. Lodge member Bill SanFilippo started the first of 2 terms as NE-5A Section Chief.

NOAC returned to Michigan State in 2012, and Woapalanne was there with a contingent of 15. We traveled out in 3 minivans and visited the R&R Hall of Fame on the way out.

Woapalanne hosted the NE-5Asection Conclave in 2013, which saw the election of Nick Kaufman as Section Chief. The theme was “Year of the Arrowman.” We finished the year having earned JTE Gold Status.

At the start of 2014, we had the largest banquet in our history, with 114 attendees. Again, we finished the year as a JTE Gold lodge. Much of the year was devoted to the upcoming centennial celebration of the OA. With the demise of Central NJ Council and Sakuwit Lodge #2, Woapalanne added those Arrowmen and troops from the area assigned to PPC. The “new” Brothers have been a decided plus for our lodge.

2015! 100 years old! For the first time, we offered a package plan for dues and events. Again, our banquet broke records with 148 in attendance. In 2015, we secured a National Service Grant, repurposing one of the Wheeler Cub cabins to a STEM/computer facility. We were also chosen to host ArrowTour, and national road show for our Centennial. 230 people attended. We named 9 people as “Centurion Award” winners, and 3 were given a Lifetime Service Award. In August, 53 traveled to NOAC, once again at MSU.[6]

2020 COVID-19 took a toll on Woapalanne, because of the pandemic we lost many members and the size and lodge participation shrunk. We implemented virtual ordeals this year to allow those scouts elected to participate in an ordeal.

2020-2021 Lodge Chief Mike Fowler was elected Secretary of Section NE-5 for the 2020-2021 term via virtual Conclave

2021 Former Section Chief and Lodge Chief Derek Porter was elected National Chief of the Order of the Arrow. Former Lodge Chief and Section Secretary Mike Fowler was elected as the final Section Chief of NE-5, before its eventual rebrand as Section E17

2022 Woapalanne had the privilege of hosting the last Section Conclave for NE-5 as national was merging all the regions into just two separate regions, and redesignating sections to fit that model. Woapalanne held a conclave in June at Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation and was led by Conclave Chair and Lodge Chief Connor Nuehause.

During the summer the OA held NOAC at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, Woapalanne Lodge was proud to send a contingent of 20 Arrowmen led by Bridget Brady to Tennessee for this event

At NOAC former Lodge Chief and National Chief Derek Porter received the OA Distinguished Service Award, the highest award that the Order of the Arrow can bestow upon a member.

2023 Woapalanne Lodge elected Brianna Brady Lodge Chief, making her the first female lodge chief in Woapalanne's history.

Today the lodge is led by Lodge Chief Brianna Brady, and Mike Fowler was elected as the 2023-2024 Chief of Section E17.

2024 Brianna Brady was re-elected as Lodge Chief of Woapalanne Lodge, marking only the fourth person in lodge history to accomplish this feat. Brianna joins 2009-11 Lodge Chief, and current Lodge Associate Adviser, Frank Caccavale as only the second person to successfully serve two full terms, as 2018-19 Lodge Chief Derek Porter and 2020-21 Lodge Chief Mike Fowler were unable to serve their second terms due to elections as Section Chief. Brianna Brady was also elected Section E-17 Secretary.

Former Lodge Chief and E17 Section Chief Mike Fowler was announced as a 2024 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, marking only the second member of the Patriots' Path Council to be honored with this award. To date, only four Distinguished Service Award recipients are dues-paid members of the council, with two being presented with the award prior to the 2000 merger.

2025

Maddie Browne was elected Lodge Chief.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Join". Patriots' Path Council - Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Information on the Patriots Path Council #358, BSA". snebsa.tripod.com.
  3. ^ "Raritan Valley District | Patriots' Path Council - Boy Scouts of America".
  4. ^ "Scouts With Special Needs". join.ppbsa.org.
  5. ^ "Winnebago Scout Reservation".
  6. ^ "Order of the Arrow | Patriots' Path Council - Boy Scouts of America".
[edit]

40°48′51″N 74°27′53″W / 40.8141°N 74.4647°W / 40.8141; -74.4647