At least 20,000 Boy Scouts will volunteer to assist in various community projects on March 27 in the annual Scout Community Service Day. Twent-five counties in Kentucky and southern Indiana will be targeted for this event in an effort to positively impact their city, town, and county. The Boy Scouts are partnering with the Metro United Way in providing Scouts within the area projects through their website. Projects listed on the United Way website include volunteering for the Catholic Charities annual Easter Egg Hunt with over 100 refugee children expected to participate; light landscaping and some outside painting for Bridgehaven; Metro Parks assistance including landscaping, painting, litter cleanup, and other jobs

The Allegheny Highlands Council, Boy Scouts of America, headquartered in Falconer, announced that state Sen. Cathy Young, R-Olean, will be honored with the 100th Anniversary Good Scout Award at their annual golf tournament. It will be held at Shorewood Country Club on Friday, June 25. "We couldn't be more pleased," said Derek Dawson, chairman of the event. "Sen. Young has done so much for the Southern Tier. She really and truly is a good scout, in her words and her deeds, and is most deserving of this honor. It is most fitting that we honor her on the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. This will be a great event for all of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties." "What a perfect fit. We serve those three counties, and so does Sen. Young," said Herb Hern, president of the scout council. "Cathy Young embodies the traditional values that we embrace in scouting. She is Trustworthy, brave, helpful, and friendly. She is a great representative for all the people in southwestern New York, and we are appreciative of her friendship and support," he continued.

The campaign, called “SCOUTING FOR FOOD,” kicks off this Saturday when Scouts canvas neighborhoods with door-hangers listing the most-needed food items for local food banks. The Scouts will return next Saturday (March 20th) to pick up donations and deliver them to local food banks. Record numbers of people are visiting local food banks in the wake of news that Washington state’s unemployment rate rose to 9.3 percent in January. 373,000 children living in Washington state households struggle to put food on the table, according to Children’s Alliance and USDA reports. To meet the increased food shortage locally, the Chief Seattle Council is teaming up with the Pacific Harbors Council of Boy Scouts of America making this the largest food collection campaign ever done by them. The two councils represent up to nearly 46,000 Scouting youth participation.

Mountain Home Boy Scout Troop 156 honored three local community members Thursday at a Golden Eagle banquet at First United Methodist Church — American Stitchco president, community leader and former state senator Steve Luelf with the Golden Eagle Community Service award; Eagle Scout and retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. John Bany with the prestigious Silver Beaver award; and Mountain Home Troop 156 Scoutmaster Dr. Greg Elders with the James E. West Fellowship award. "We're trying to reconnect Scouting people in the community," she said. "We're reconnecting people to people, and people to Scouting." Dr. Ray Stahl, event chairman, began a search for local Eagle Scouts in February, hoping to find as many as possible for Thursday's event. More than 140 guests attended what Stahl hopes is the first annual Golden Eagle banquet. "We recognized former Boy Scouts, Scout leaders and more than 20 Eagle Scouts for their service to the Scouting movement," Stahl said. The event raised $10,399 in pledges.

To recognize a history of giving to the Boy Scouts, the Boy Scouts are giving a little back tonight to Alabama A&M University. A&M tonight will receive the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award, which recognizes contributions to Scouting for low-income, inner-city and rural youth. The award will be presented as the highlight of the Whitney M. Young Jr. Awards Banquet at the Huntsville Marriott. Home Depot will also receive the award. "We're really pleased to receive that honor because we have been working for the Scouts for years," A&M spokesman Jerome Saintjones said. Among A&M's efforts to help Scouting is an annual "Scoutreach" program that brings about 400 Scouts on campus each February to participate in activities to earn merit badges. Receiving the Young Award, however, is an opportunity to give pats on the back to those who usually give the pats on the back to the Scouts.

Councilman Brooke Hardy congratulates Boy Scout James Delanoy of Troop 49 in Jefferson for attaining Scouting’s highest rank – Eagle Scout. Only 4% of Boy Scouts nationwide attain the rank of Eagle, a great honor that can be listed on college applications and resumes. For his Community Service Project, Delanoy painted seven murals of the new Falcon logo at Jefferson Township High School. The Mayor and Town Council awarded Delanoy official proclamations, resolutions, a plaque and town pins at the Feb. 24 Town Council Meeting.

The Scouts had a brief flag ceremony followed by a recitation of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Chartered Organization representative Gabe Reifer led the worship service, with Scoutmaster Bruce D. Cram presenting the sermon “Twelve Guidelines for Living: A Biblical Perspective on the Scout Law.” After the close of the service, each Scout was presented with the Centennial Scout Sunday recognition patch.

The city recently awarded local scout leaders a proclamation recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Boys Scouts of America was started in Washington, D.C. in 1910 and has had more than 110 million members throughout the country, according to the proclamation. Scouting in LaGrange has been a longtime traditional for young boys, reports indicate scouting in the area started in 1914. To celebrate scouting's storied history two events are planned in LaGrange. The Legacy Museum on Main is hosting an exhibit on the history of scouting in LaGrange, East Alabama and West Georgia. It will run until March 31 and feature historic items such as Fuller Callaway Jr's. Boy Scout uniform from 1917 and a picture of Eagle Scout and former LaGrange mayor Chris Joseph with astronaut John Glenn in 1968.

Boy Scout troops from the Pee Dee Area Council, serving 11 counties in northeast South Carolina have discovered a better way to fundraise. Instead of selling chocolate bars or cheesecakes, the council recently teamed up with 58 year-old Interstate Batteries to raise money for something people use everyday - batteries. The Pee Dee Council chose to partner with Interstate Batteries for its spring fundraising campaign because it offers a practical product that everyone uses. The council is the first in the area to implement this unique program. Also, up to 70 percent of the sales collected will be allocated to fund summer camp and other activities. The Boy Scouts, whose motto is “Be prepared,” will offer consumers flashlights, battery organizers, key chain lights and an assortment of batteries to ensure they’re ready for hurricane season. Interstate Batteries, known for high quality and long life, offers prices that are comparable to other retailers.

Dale Coyne Racing announced today that 2007 Indy Lights Champion Alex Lloyd will be driving the Boy Scouts of America #19 IndyCar entry at the season opener at Brazil. The first race of the 2010 season kicks off this coming weekend on the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

SupportOurTroops.org has delivered 383 pallets of popcorn and trail mix to US Marine Corps bases across the country, thanks to the Boy Scouts and generous Americans. Three-hundred and eighty-three pallets equals nine truck-and-trailer loads of treats from Americans who support the Boy Scouts and the troops all at the same time. For the last several years, the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts of America have made it possible to buy popcorn for the troops by making a $25 donation. Selling popcorn is the major annual fund-raiser for the Boy Scouts. The program has been a resounding success for both the Scouts and the soldiers. Every case of popcorn or trail mix arrives with a “Thank You” sticker to the troops on the outside. “Thanks, Marines, and we hope it shows you how much we all appreciate you”, said Support Our Troops Chairman Martin Boire.

This was the 22nd year for Scouting for Food for the Boy Scouts of America, including Carroll County. In 2009, the Scouting program collected 27,055 pounds. The food was delivered to local food pantries across the county, including Carroll Food Sunday in Westminster. It took 712 Scouts and 412 adults to collect the food. The youth and adult scouts are registered to 26 different Boy Scout units and 23 different Cub Scout Packs. The Carroll District is a part of the Baltimore Area Council.

Five South Mississippi volunteers will receive the Silver Beaver Award, scouting's highest council-level award, at a special ceremony Friday at University of Southern Mississippi's Thad Cochran Center. "This is a very prestigious award," said Mike Tischer, program director for the Pine Burr Area Council of the Boy Scouts. "It recognizes significant contributions to the lives of youth." Those who are to receive the award recognizing volunteer service are Martin Goldin, Gulfport; Lee Hedegaard, Lucedale; Michelle Landrum, Ellisville; Dr. Shelby Thames, former Southern Miss president, Hattiesburg; and Larry Thomas, Laurel. The Silver Beaver is an award given to those who implement the scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service. It is given to those who do not actively seek it, Tischer said.

It was almost 1 a.m. when Alex Reinbrecht dozed off in the passenger seat. The sugar high from the Mountain Dew he consumed had finally worn off. But his slumber was fractured by his mother's yelling and slamming on the brakes. Moments later, the West Dundee family's 1999 Ford Explorer left the roadway and flipped over at least twice. It came to rest on its roof in the ditch. In the chaos, Alex's sister, Tatiana, 15, was thrown from the vehicle. She had been slouching in the back seat, sleeping, with her arm outside the seat belt. After climbing out of the mangled SUV, Alex found Tatiana on the side of the road. She was losing consciousness and at risk of going into shock from severe leg, head and spinal injuries. And that's where Alex's Boy Scout training kicked in. Alex, 14, had earned certificates in first aid and CPR from the Algonquin Boy Scout Troop 151 about two months before the accident as a Star scout. He drew on those skills to assist his sister. "I would never have known how to do any of these things," Alex said. "For anyone in the Boy Scouts, always take CPR. My mom forced me to do it, and it paid off." The Boys Scouts of America will award Alex one of the organization's highest honors - the Medal of Heroism Award - at a Sunday dinner in Rockford.

Bart Starr started as a Boy Scout and grew up to be a great leader – leading the Green Bay Packers to wins in the first two Super Bowls. He’s one of many leaders the Boy Scouts of America have produced in its 100-year history. The Scouts start with great leadership, and Starr said that’s why they’re successful. “It starts with attitude,” he said. “When you have the right attitude it establishes a world of challenges and allows you to set goals that last a lifetime.” “We need leaders in every field,” Starr said. “Scouts give opportunities to build fine young children into fine young men.”

Sylvania Mayor Mitch Dendy said the town is less than a month away from having a home for its first ever Boy Scout Troop. Dendy said work on a campsite for the Boy Scouts at Sylvania Lake is nearing completion. He said local Troop Leader, Dr. Anthony Sims, approached the council several months ago with the idea of establishing a troop in Sylvania. Dendy said the town has never had a dedicated troop before, and – up until now – boys who wanted to join the scouts have had to sign up with the nearby Henagar troop. He said the town leased half an acre of land at Sylvania Lake to the scouts for 25 years and Sims, scout parents and volunteers are in the process of building a camp hall there. “I think they will be able to have meetings there within about another month,” Dendy said. “They are working on the inside now. I’m very happy and excited to be part of this history, of the town having its own Boy Scout Troop for the very first time.”

Monday afternoon several Cub, Boy and Venture Scouts gathered on the square with their families to plant and dedicate a tree marking the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America as well as a symbol of the Scouts’ continuing journey. BSA Yellow River Council District Executive David Abercrombie welcomed guests and introduced Covington Mayor Kim Carter and Newton County Commission Chair Kathy Morgan, who read a proclamation recognizing 2010 as the centennial of BSA. "The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law," said Morgan.

Paul W. Liles, a senior at Chamberlain High, was recognized at a recent Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony. The event, Feb. 27 at All People's Life Center, honored his accomplishment in earning the highest rank in the Boy Scout organization. Liles began Scouting in first grade as a Tiger Cub and progressed through Cub Scouts and the Boy Scout program. A member of Troop 188 at Temple Terrace United Methodist Church, Liles took trips with the troop to Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and Williamsburg, Va. He earned 21 merit badges and planned, developed and oversaw a community service project for All People's Life Center. For the project, he planted trees and shrubs along the fence of a fitness trail. He found businesses to donate the plants and enlisted volunteers to help with the project. He also served in numerous youth leadership roles including senior patrol leader and assistant senior patrol leader.

Celebrating its first year of operations this month, Falls Church City Boy Scout Troop 349 has received a $1,000 grant. Navy Federal Credit Union’s “Dollars for Doers” program aids non-profit groups with whom their employees are associated as volunteers. Troop 349 volunteers include two employees of Navy Federal, which enabled the grant. “We will put that money to good use helping to outfit our growing ranks,” said Jim Custer, Assistant Scoutmaster. “We’re an active group and we want to attract kids and their parents who enjoy being involved in exciting and fun activities,” said Assistant Scoutmaster Custer. “Since we’re looking to grow and to accomplish so much in the coming year, we needed funding”. “Troop 349 is growing and we’re looking forward to the challenges ahead,” said Steven Valley, Troop 349’s Committee Chair. “With a solid year of experience behind us, our place in Falls Church City’s scouting landscape is secure and the future certainly looks very bright”. The troop appreciates all those who helped it during the past year.