How the Scouting America Half Marathon Keeps Camp Miakonda and Northwest Ohio Scouting Moving Forward

When you line up for the Scouting America Half Marathon and Tenderfoot 5K in Bowling Green, Ohio, you’re doing more than testing your training. You’re helping keep a piece of Northwest Ohio running strong for the next generation. This is one of the good ones: a charity half marathon where every finisher’s medal stands for something bigger than a personal record. Here’s exactly where your miles go, and why they matter so much to our region.

A Bowling Green Half Marathon That Supports the Erie Shores Council

The Scouting America Half Marathon and Tenderfoot 5K support the Erie Shores Council of Scouting America, which serves young people throughout Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood counties, along with eastern Fulton County. Through outdoor adventures, leadership development, service projects and age-specific programming, the council helps kids across the region build confidence, character, citizenship and practical life skills that stick with them long after summer camp ends. Your registration doesn’t just fund a race-day experience. It helps the council care for the places where all of that growth happens.

Camp Miakonda: A Northwest Ohio Landmark Worth Protecting

One of those places is Camp Miakonda at the DeVilbiss Scout Reservation, a 160-acre camp in Toledo and one of the oldest Scouting America camps in the country. Walk the grounds and you’ll find rustic cabins, campsites, a swimming pool, a lake, a chapel, a dining hall, a museum, miles of trails, meeting facilities and the historic Fort Scheib.

Keeping a property that size safe, useful and welcoming is year-round work. The council’s property guidelines lay it out plainly: trail maintenance, brush removal, landscaping, tree planting, cabin upkeep, wood splitting, stream cleanup and campsite restoration all have to happen every year so Miakonda can keep serving the next group of kids who walk through its gates.

That’s where race day comes in. Every half marathon runner, walker and Tenderfoot 5K finisher helps fund that work.

Camp Miakonda Serves the Whole Toledo Community, Not Just Scouts

What makes this camp special to Northwest Ohio, Scout or not, is how far its impact reaches.

Camp Miakonda hosts Cub Scout day camps, where elementary-age kids from around the 419 spend their days swimming, hiking, shooting archery, exploring STEM activities and learning outdoor skills many of them have never tried. The camp also offers financial assistance that can help cover attendance for families who might not otherwise be able to send their child.

The property opens its gates to the wider community too. In July 2026, Camp Miakonda hosted Path Finders Camp, a program run by Hospice of Northwest Ohio for grieving children and teens. Over four days, licensed counselors, social workers and trained volunteers helped participants honor loved ones, understand their emotions, build healthy coping skills, enjoy time outdoors and connect with other young people who understood exactly what they were going through. Thanks to local donors and sponsors, families paid nothing to attend.

That’s what a well-maintained Camp Miakonda makes possible. It’s a place where:

• Scouts discover the outdoors and build leadership skills that last a lifetime
• Families access affordable community programs close to home
• Kids attend camps they might not otherwise be able to afford
• Local organizations create safe, meaningful experiences for the community
• Grieving children find support, healing and connection when they need it most

Where Your Scouting America Half Marathon Registration Goes

When you sign up for the Scouting America Half Marathon or Tenderfoot 5K, your registration helps support:

• Historic camp properties: upkeep of cabins, campsites, trails, activity spaces, the lake and gathering areas at Camp Miakonda and other Erie Shores Council properties across the region.
• Outdoor opportunities for young people: camping, hiking, swimming, archery, STEM activities, leadership development and hands-on learning that’s hard to find anywhere else.
• Access for more families: camperships and other assistance that help make Scouting available to kids regardless of their family’s circumstances.
• Programs that strengthen Northwest Ohio: spaces for Scout activities, public events, family experiences and community partnerships like Hospice of Northwest Ohio’s Path Finders Camp.
• Generations of future Scouts: your support helps make sure these properties and programs are still here for the next child, the next troop and the next generation of Northwest Ohio kids.

Run for Something Bigger at Next Year’s Race

The Scouting America Half Marathon and Tenderfoot 5K give you a flat, scenic course through Bowling Green and a real reason to be proud of every mile. Whether you’re chasing a late-summer PR, testing your fitness before a fall marathon, or walking the 5K with your family, your registration goes to work the moment you cross the finish line.

Scouting America Half Marathon FAQ

What organization does the Scouting America Half Marathon support?

Proceeds support the Erie Shores Council of Scouting America, which serves youth throughout Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Wood and eastern Fulton counties in Northwest Ohio.

Where does my registration go?

Race proceeds help maintain Camp Miakonda and other Erie Shores Council properties, including trail maintenance, cabin upkeep and campsite restoration, and support program costs like camperships for families who need assistance.

What is Camp Miakonda?

Camp Miakonda at the DeVilbiss Scout Reservation is a 160-acre camp in Toledo, Ohio, and one of the oldest Scouting America camps in the country. It features cabins, campsites, a lake, a pool, trails, a museum and the historic Fort Scheib.

Is Camp Miakonda open to the public, or just Scouts?

Camp Miakonda is an active Scout reservation that also hosts community programs, including Cub Scout day camps and partner programs like Hospice of Northwest Ohio’s Path Finders Camp.

What is Path Finders Camp?

Path Finders Camp is a free, four-day program hosted at Camp Miakonda by Hospice of Northwest Ohio. It supports grieving children and teenagers through counseling, outdoor activities and peer connection.

How can I support Scouting if I’m not running the race?

You can register for the virtual half marathon or virtual 5K, volunteer on race day, or donate directly through the race’s Scouting support page.

Where and when is the Scouting America Half Marathon?

The Scouting America Half Marathon and Tenderfoot 5K are held each year in late August, starting and finishing at the Wood County Fairgrounds in Bowling Green, Ohio. Check the registration page for next year’s date.