The Central North Carolina Council, Boy Scouts of America, hosted the Annual Leaders’ Recognition Banquet on March 6. Adult volunteer leaders were recognized for their selflessness and commitment to thousands of young people throughout the council jurisdiction of Anson, Cabarrus, Montgomery, Richmond, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties.
The Silver Beaver Award, the highest that can be bestowed by a local council, was presented to five adult volunteers for exceptional and distinguished service to youth. Dr. Karl Hales, former chairman of the department of communications at Catawba College, Council President Andy Boggs and Council Scout Executive Greg Graham presented the awards.
Recipient of the Silver Beaver Award in Rowan County was Harold G. Driver.
Driver is an Eagle Scout, who also received his God and Country honor. He is a member of the Order of the Arrow. He is one who has long followed the intent and ideal of the Scout Law. He has been exceedingly loyal to Scouting, has been most helpful to a multitude of boys and their families and constantly has modeled courtesy, kindness and friendship. He became Assistant Scoutmaster of his boyhood troop when he was 18 years old, became Scoutmaster in 1976 and has been the Scoutmaster of that troop for 32 years.
Driver has another distinction to his credit. During those years he has consistently brought his Scouts to Camp John J. Barnhardt without missing a summer.
In 1995, this recipient organized a Cub pack at his chartered organization and has served as its committee chairman since that time. He encourages unit popcorn sales and promotes the Family Enrollment phase of the Friends of Scouting campaign, and for 16 years, he was owner of a Scout distributorship
He is a lifelong member of St. James Lutheran Church in Rockwell and formerly has served on the church council and finance committee. He has been involved with his family in both the Morgan Elementary and East Rowan High School P.T.A.s
Recipient of the Silver Beaver Award in Cabarrus County was Brad Steen.
Steen is a cheerful and helpful adult volunteer. He has served as the council camp promotions committee chairman and member of the Camp John J. Barnhardt advisory committee. He has been a frequent counselor of the Advancement Mania program.
Steen has served his district as activities chairman, camp promotion co-chairman and banquet chairman. He has been an assistant Scoutmaster of an active and growing troop since 1997.
His patience and thorough organizational skills have provided the right combination for the huge success that the annual Bass Pro Shop Outdoor Games has achieved. Our recipient has been the council chairman of that much anticipated event for the past three years.
He is an active member of the Phaniel Baptist Church in Rockwell where he has served as a leader for the Royal Ambassadors and as a technician for the sound system committee. He is a Gideon, precinct chairman in his voting district and a participant in Kannapolis Cares.
Richard E. Clayton was the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award in Stanly County.
Clayton is a quiet member of a special group to whom all of us owe so much. He has been involved in the critical leadership of this council in both years of great difficulty and soaring triumph.
He is a member of the Central North Carolina Council executive board and has been a member of the finance committee since 2002. He has served as the Stanly District chairman and is a major donor and key committee member of the Stanly District Friends of Scouting campaign.
In the recent dark days in this council of overwhelming debt, a beautiful camp that had fallen into desperate disrepair and a sense of frustration by hundreds of council volunteers, this recipient was the agent of change and was the architect for a plan for a renewed spirit, financial stability and a vision for the future.
Clayton presently serves as the treasurer and vice-president of finance for this council and was honored in 2006 at the annual Good Scout Award Dinner.
He is senior vice president and regional executive of First Bank. He is also an active member of the Porter United Methodist Church in Norwood, president of Hospice of Stanly County, member of the Albemarle Rotary Club and board member and past president of the Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation. He has been the past president of the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce, Richfield Civitan Club, Pfeiffer College Falcon Club and United Way of Stanly County.
Recipient of the Silver Beaver Award in Montgomery District was Thomas Illman.
Illman is a Life Scout and was a Sea Explorer as a youth. He has been an exceptional and giving adult volunteer and serves his troop, district and community with distinction. He has been the chapter adviser of Order of the Arrow since 1993 and a member of the advancement committee and board of review since 2003.
He served as both Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster for 10 years and actively promoted various fundraisers with his troop to provide camperships for needy Scouts to attend summer camp. He has been an instructor for Electricity Merit Badge for Advancement Mania and is a key member of the chapter and lodge cook teams for district and council Order of the Arrow events.
He is an active member of First Baptist Church in Troy and the Baptist Men’s Brotherhood Service Team, as well as the church’s cook team for Relay for Life. He has volunteered his time to support the activities of the 4-H clubs throughout the county. He is a respected instructor of electrical technology at the local community college and more than willing to share that expertise and experience to project needs throughout the community.
Recipient of the Silver Beaver Award in Union County was William Lane.
Lane is a selfless Scouter who never tires in assuming any task that benefits, promotes and moves Scouting forward in a positive direction. He served as Assistant Scoutmaster for more than 20 years and Scoutmaster for six. During this time, he had additional roles in areas such as commissioner service, district committee and camporee staff.
Lane has been the chapter adviser of the Order of the Arrow for many years and one of those remarkably loyal volunteers to support all lodge events at Camp John J. Barnhardt. He is a longtime member of the District Board of Review.
He was a staff member for the 2005 Woodbadge training and has been in the campmaster corps for more than 10 years. He was a member of the Camp John J. Barnhardt 40th Anniversary Committee in 2006.
Lane is a volunteer for the Red Cross and has donated more than 100 pints of plasma, a record held by a select few.
He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a former Marine and was instrumental most recently in helping to bring the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall to Union County for exhibition and visitation.
The Show Choir from Corriher-Lipe Middle School in Landis opened the meeting with the “Star-Spangled Banner” and then presented a lovely anthem by American composer Teresa Jennings called “American Tears”.
Dr. Jeffrey K. Cook of Cook Chiropractic in Kannapolis was the keynote speaker. He is an Eagle Scout from Troop 5 in Concord and has earned 78 merit badges as a Scout Dr. Cook’s early interest in medicine became more focused through his work in Emergency Preparedness merit badge. He delivered a powerful address on the many ways Scouting affects the morals and values that can direct young people.
Cub Scouts Alex Simmons, Andrew Jaynes and Jacob Abel were recognized for being the highest salesmen in the annual council popcorn sale. Their combined total was more than $9,800.
The Central North Carolina Council, Boy Scouts of America, serves Anson, Cabarrus, Montgomery, Richmond, Rowan, Stanly and Union Counties. More than 13,000 young people participate in Scouting programs, including Cub Scouts, boys 6-10; Boy Scouts, boys 11-17; Venturers or Explorers, co-ed ages 15-21; and Learning for Life (school-based seminar programs).
For more information about Scouting opportunities within the council area, call 704-982-0141 or e-mail the council office at cncbsa @bsamail.org