CHOCTAWHATCHEE COUNCIL  1926 to 1930     (Dothan, AL)

Choctawhatchee Council was established in January 1926, supervising Scouting units in ten counties in southern Alabama, and five counties in northwest Florida (Bay, Walton, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington; Gulf County was added by 1928).  Newspaper articles from both states described the fundraising of this council, mostly through the sale of "bonds" to businesses and civic groups that were instrumental in the council's creation.  The economic problems in the country also affected Scouting in southern Alabama, as by 1930 the council was down to nine total counties.   After 1930, no articles in newspapers mentioning Choctawhatchee Council were found, until 1935.  Region 5 representatives and business leaders worked to resurrect the Scouting program in Dothan, as "there has been no Scout activity in this section in five years, following the collapse of the Choctawhatchee Council composing of counties in Southeast Alabama and Northwest Florida.  Only Southeast Alabama counties are included in the proposed new set-up."  This effort was more successful, creating Southeast Alabama Council, later renamed Alabama-Florida Council in 1963.

CAMP CHEERFUL

Shortly after Choctawhatchee's creation, the council secured a temporary location for their summer camp that year, a property on Bear Creek, near Camp Flowers outside Panama City.  The program was named "Camp Cheerful", which was to be used when the council obtained its permanent camp location.  In 1927, the location was again on Bear Creek, near Bay Head, fourteen miles outside Panama City.  By the beginning of the 1927 season, cabins and a mess hall had been constructed on the property, in anticipation of the expected 400 boys that would be attending.  The facilities were available for weekend use, camporees, and training events.  Winter Camp weekend was held there December 28-30, 1928.  Summer camp 1929 was held for three ten-day periods, one period each in June, July, and August.  No record of camp being held after 1929 has been found.