The Scouting program in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan saw drastic drop in membership beginning in the early 2000s. The decrease in population was due to the economy in Michigan and the resulting out-migration of population, jobs and industry. The Area 2 Project was created in 2010 and studied the impact on Scouting and presented the Crossroads Recommendation, which proposed that the ten councils in Michigan merge into one large council. As a result, in 2012, four field service councils were created consisting of former councils. The Southern Shores Field Service Council is the result of a merger between the Great Sauk Trail Council and Southwest Michigan Council.
Organization
The council is administratively divided into districts:
Kishahtek Lodge 88 serves as the Field Service Council's Order of the Arrow Lodge. The name is translated as "Northern Lights" in Lenne Lenape, and the totem is the wolverine. The lodge was formed from merging Manitous Lodge 88 and Nacha-Mawat Lodge 373 after the Great Sauk Trail Council and Southwest Michigan Council merged into the Southern Shores Field Service Council. Similar to the Field Service Council, the lodge is divided into chapters, which correspond within district boundaries
Allohak Chapter in the Huron Trails District. This name comes from a prior lodge which served the Ann Arbor area.
Carcajou Chapter in the Wabano District. Named after the Carcajou Lodge 373 that served the Southwestern Michigan Council prior to merging with the Fruit Belt Area and Nottawa Trails Councils in 1973. Carcajou Lodge had the Camp Madron Dance Team.
Lenape Chapter in the Lenape District
Mandoka Chapter in the Nottawa Trails District. Named after the Mandoka Lodge 315 that served the Nottawa Trails Council prior to merging with the Southwestern Michigan and Fruit Belt Area Councils in 1973.
Munhacke Chapter in the Three Fires District. This name comes from a prior lodge which served Livingston County
Tecumseh Chapter in the Running Waters District. This name comes from a prior lodge which served Monroe County
Teetonkah Chapter in the Cascades District. This name comes from a prior lodge which served Jackson County
Wakazoo Chapter in the Pathfinder District. Named after the Wakazoo Lodge 203 that served the Fruit Belt Area Council prior to merging with the Southwestern Michigan and Nottawa Trails Councils in 1973.
