12/18/25 Update to CVC / HOVC Councils Merger
with Updated Background and Frequently Asked Questions

December 18, 2025

To the Heart of Virginia Council Scouters and Families:

At the Heart of Virginia Council (HOVC) and across our region, our mission is to give every young person the opportunity to be a part of our program and instill in them the character and leadership skills needed to succeed based on the Scout Oath and Scout Law. To this end, over the past nine months, HOVC and the Colonial Virginia Council (CVC), headquartered in Newport News, have looked at ways we can work together to recruit more youth and improve the Scouting experience for our existing Scouts.

Together, the leadership of both Councils have decided that a merger would be a successful and logical way to fulfill this mission. By combining, we will realize economies of scale that will allow us to focus resources on recruiting more youth into the program and better support our existing families.
On December 11, 2025, the Executive Board of the CVC voted to approve the plan of merger and to take the next steps to merge councils. On December 17, 2025, the Executive Board of the HOVC also voted to approve the plan of merger.

What does this mean?
This is not a final vote to approve the merger. This vote means that we are moving forward with the next steps in the process.
We want to be transparent about the merger process and explain the benefits of how this can help our units and our movement. Starting in January, there will be additional meetings with the HOVC district leaders, unit leaders and others at roundtable and townhall meetings to present the facts, have Q & A sessions and gather feedback. We will also continue to meet with the leadership teams in the CVC.

The attached FAQ was released earlier and provides details and a proposed timeline.

How can you be a part of the process?
Look for communications about district meetings, roundtables, and other opportunities to interact with council leadership to ask questions and give feedback. Your participation and input will be valued as we proceed forward with this effort to make both Councils stronger and more effective.

Thank you for what you do to help our Scouts and fulfill the mission of Scouting America.

Jeffrey G. Miscikowski
HOVC Board Chair

Additional Resources

11/14/25 Article: Proposed CVC / HOVC Councils Merger Background and Frequently Asked Questions