Local Scout organization now part of bigger council that goes to Elmira and Pa.

The patch for the newly merged Great Falls Council that represents an area that includes Orleans County, part of Western New York, and extends south to Elmira and into Pennsylvania.

The scouting council that includes Orleans Council has merged again. The Western New York Council has merged with the Five Rivers Council to form a new organization – Great Falls Council.

The merger became effective on Nov. 1.

“Scouting is alive and well in the Great Falls Council and will continue to grow and prosper through all our efforts to deliver the world’s greatest youth development program to the youth of our community,” the Scout Executive and Council CEO Gary A. Decker posted on Facebook.

The Council is organized into six districts. Orleans County is in the Great Trails District which serves Orleans and Genesee counties, the eastern part of Wyoming County, and most of Livingston County.

This map shows the area of the Great Falls Council in light green.

The formation of Great Falls Council follows the May 1, 2023 merger of the Iroquois Trail Council and Greater Niagara Frontier Council into the WNY Council.

Scouting has seen a drop in enrollment and the mergers are seeking to maintain programming in scouting, which is open to both boys and girls, ages 5 to 20.

The new council serves 8,000 youth members and adult volunteers in 15 counties of Western New York and the Southern Tier of New York, and the Northern Tier in Pennsylvaniua.

The Council has a staff of 20 with offices in Buffalo, Oakfield and Elmira.

Jim McMullen, who was the Scout Executive of the Iroquois Trail Council, remains in the new Council’s leadership as the chief operations officer and deputy scout executive.

“The expansion of our Scouting family provides our Scouts with even more opportunities to have incredible life-changing experiences and to benefit from the great strengths of both predecessor councils,” Decker said. “Coming together as one expanded Scouting family also allows us to chart a new future for Scouting in our territory.  It provides us with the opportunity to continue the legacies of world-class Scouting from the generations before us, while allowing for the creation of new traditions and programs for today’s and future members.  I look forward to being part of that journey with you.”