Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council

Overview

The Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council is a regional division of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), headquartered in San Jose, California. It serves Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey counties. This council is the result of a merger between the Santa Clara County Council and the Monterey Bay Area Council[1].

History

The predecessor to the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council, the San Jose Council, was founded on August 20, 1920, by John Crummey, Robert Bentley, Jr., and Archer Bowden. The council changed its name to the Santa Clara County Council in 1922 and expanded its jurisdiction to include San Benito, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties by 1927. In 1933, San Benito, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties were separated to form the Monterey Bay Area Council[1].

Merger

In 2012, the Monterey Bay Area Council, facing financial challenges, including over a million dollars in debt, merged with the Santa Clara County Council. This merger resulted in the formation of the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council. The new council was officially named in September 2012, and the merger was finalized in December 2012[1].

Programs and Events

The Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council offers various scouting programs, including Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing, and Explorer programs. It hosts several events throughout the year, such as the Council Recognition Dinner to honor Eagle Scouts and Silver Beaver Awardees, as well as family camps and cub camps at its facilities[3][5]. The council also supports the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) in providing scholarships to Eagle Scouts[3].

Status

The Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, making financial contributions tax-deductible[5]. It continues to serve thousands of youth across its service area, promoting values such as trustworthiness, loyalty, and bravery through the activities and principles of the Boy Scouts of America[2].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley_Monterey_Bay_Council [2] https://www.santaclaraca.gov/Home/Components/ServiceDirectory/ServiceDirectory/1404/2831 [3] http://www.svmbc.org [4] https://californiascouting.org/svmbc/ [5] https://svmbc.org