Also known as: Andy Groenink, A.R. Groenink
Andrew Groenink was an early Scout Executive who served nearly 40 years in a variety of Scouting professional roles.
He began his career in Denver in 1921 as an Assistant Scout Executive. By 1922, he was Executive of the Yavapai District Council in Prescott, Arizona. This Council would be the Yavapai & Mohave Counties Council in 1924, still headquartered in Prescott. In 1925, he became Scout Executive for the Alameda Council in California’s Bay Area. In 1932, he was noted for developing a unique (for its time) pocket calendar that included both a traditional schedule and a key for monthly events. That same year, he also held a Scouter’s Convention that was attended by more than 80 adult Scouters.
In 1939, he moved to be Scout Executive of the Mission Council in Santa Barbara.
In 1945, he was noted as one of 263 Scouting Veterans with 20 years of service to the profession. It was this same year that he, along with the leaders of Canaliño Lodge # 90, invited all existing Lodges in Area U to a conference, which began the area’s traditional of annual Conclaves that has continued for 8 decades.
In recognition of his promotion of the Order of the Arrow in California, as well as the need for Western representation, he joined the National Order of the Arrow Committee from 1945 – 1953. Groenink was involved in the formation of many Lodges in California, including the installation of Yo-Se-Mite Lodge at that conference.
Some of the other Lodges he is credited with helping to form include Kaweah Lodge # 379.
In 1947, he was honored with a third degree in Region XII for the Scout Executive’s Growth Program. That same year, he attended the 10th Advanced Training School for Professional Leaders in Scouting at Schiff Scout Reservation.
By 1952, he was recognized by the Order of the Arrow with the Distinguished Service Award, the first person from California to receive it.
In 1953, Groenink left to become the National Council Assistant Director for Physical Arrangements for the 1953 National Jamboree held at Irvine Ranch. After the conclusion of the Jamboree, he then left to become an Assistant Scout Executive for the Council in Honolulu, Hawaii.
By 1957, he moved back to work with Region XII, this time as Director of Public Relations and Finance. On August 1, 1960, he retired with nearly 40 years of Scouting service. He settled in San Diego and then Pasadena, California.
Order of the Arrow Service
Area Leader: 1945
National Order of the Arrow Committee
Andy Groenink was an early proponent of the Order of the Arrow in California and was responsible for starting an untold number of Lodges. He put together the first Area U Conference with the first Lodge in California, Canaliño Lodge # 90, hosting.
Andy served on the National OA Committee and was the first DSA Recipient in California in 1952.