22 Eagle Scouts Gather to Celebrate New Award Recipient

by orionontv | Mar 23, 2023 | Scouting

Brandon Kathman FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sr. District Executive & Operations Marketing Lead 3/10/23
Brandon.Kathman@scouting.org
947-886-5736

22 Eagle Scouts Gather to Celebrate New Award Recipient

Twenty-two Eagle Scouts of multiple generations gathered at the Packard Proving Ground in
Shelby to attend a “Court of Honor” for the award’s latest recipient, Daron Decator Jr., 16, of
Troop 349.
“We have a saying: once an Eagle, forever an Eagle,” Paul Hardy, Scouting’s local district
executive, said. “It’s an honor one will carry with them for their entire life; moreover, it’s a
standard they are charged to uphold.”
With over 100 youth, volunteers and family members in attendance, the ceremony was atypical in
the number of Eagle alumni present. Only 6% of youth in the program will ever attain the rank,
making them a “rare breed.” Assistant Scoutmaster and Eagle Scout Kurt Fobare served as the
event’s master of ceremonies.
“Awarding the rank of Eagle Scout is an important and serious matter,” Fobare said. “It is the
climax and goal toward which a Scout has been working for many years. Therefore, the occasion
which celebrates the Scout’s accomplishment should be something special.”
The ceremony culminated in the recitation of the Eagle Scout Promise, a sacred tradition in which
all Eagles present rise and rededicate themselves to Scouting’s mission. Even as Decator repeated
the words for the first time, others present knew them by heart after years with the program.
According to Hardy, the moment was especially moving with so many Eagles present.
“I reaffirm my allegiance to the three promises of the scout Oath,” the Eagles in attendance
recited. “I thoughtfully recognize and take upon myself the obligations and responsibilities of an
Eagle Scout. On my honor, I will do my best to make my training an example and my status and
my influence count strongly for better Scouting and for better citizenship in my troop, in my
community, and in my contacts with other people. To this I pledge my sacred honor.”

Scout Dons Uniform for Ceremony at Arlington

by orionontv | Feb 24, 2023 | Scouting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sr. District Executive & Operations Marketing Lead 2/21/23
Brandon.Kathman@scouting.org
947-886-5736

Scout Dons Uniform for Ceremony at Arlington

A local Scout received a rare opportunity during a recent school trip to Washington D.C., as he
placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Ceremony while
wearing his uniform.
Alex Burke, 14, participates in the Scouting program through Lake Orion Troop 284 along with
Clarkston Troop 185 and attends Oakview Middle School. As part of this year’s 8th grade class trip
to Washington D.C., four youth were selected to participate in the wreath ceremony. In order to
be considered, students were asked to submit an essay on why they should be chosen to represent
their community at the site.
In his essay, Burke explained that the tomb has a deep significance to his family. Five generations
of his family members have been called to serve in the US military, including several Purple Heart
recipients.
“I wanted to honor all of the people inside and outside of my family who gave their lives to protect
this country,” Burke said.
On learning he had been selected, Burke also determined to wear his Scout uniform for the event.
“I thought it would be good representation of Scouts and what we do,” Burke said. “It was a good
opportunity to show people that we do a lot for the community.”
Assistant Scoutmaster Rob Pote, a retired lieutenant colonel, helped Burke prepare for the
ceremony. A well-known keystone of the Scouting movement in Oakland County, Pote taught
Burke the basics of military drill.
“I really wanted to do it the proper way, the respectful way,” Burke said. “I wanted to learn all the
moves perfectly. He showed me how to march, how to turn and about the importance of the tomb
itself.”
Though Burke admitted to feeling nervous, he and his classmates performed the ceremony
perfectly, with all due reverence and respect. According to his mother, it was a deeply moving
experience.
“My heart was filled with pride,” Charity Burke said. “I think he did wonderful. He honored his
troop, his school, his community, his family and all of the unknown soldiers.”

Scouts’ Competition Adapts to Warmer Winter

by orionontv | Jan 24, 2023 | Scouting

Brandon Kathman FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sr. District Executive & Operations Marketing Lead 1/24/2023
Brandon.Kathman@scouting.org
947-886-5736

Scouts’ Competition Adapts to Warmer Winter

Local Scouts held their annual winter “Hodag” competition with over 220 participants on Jan 21;
this was accomplished in spite of abnormally high temperatures and a lack of snow at Camp
Agawam in Lake Orion.
The event, which is modeled after the Alaskan Iditarod sled race, pits Scout troops in friendly
competition as they travel between stations designed to test their skills. Hosted by the youth of
Scouting’s honor society, the Order of the Arrow, the event requires troops to stow their gear in a
sled dragged from station to station.
“The planning for this year’s Hodag was different than before,” Chapter Chief Teo Gammons, 17,
of the Order of the Arrow, said. “We brought new activities to the event. People had fun, even
though the sled race had to be modified.”
Temperatures in the upper 30s and a series of atypical rainstorms left the campgrounds damp and
muddy for an event typically reliant on snow. However, according to Gammons, the Scouting
program teaches youth to innovate and overcome new challenges.
Many troops outfitted their sleds with wheels to become chariots of sorts, ensuring their use would
still be possible, even on a muddy field. Order of the Arrow members took turns carrying their
mascot, “Manny,” a 50-pound stuffed moose, in the races as an unofficial competitor; when the
youth became tired, several adult volunteers stepped up to carry the oversized plush animal.
“Hodag is an event I look forward to every year,” Anthony Goatley, 16, of Lake Orion Troop 284,
said. “The energy is wonderful, and it’s always nice to see some old friends.”
Saint Clair Shores Troop 1407 ultimately carried the day, winning the competition. However,
according to one local Scout, Manny was just a “different kind of winner.”
According to Field Director Bob DeWar, the success of the event in spite of uncooperative
weather conditions speaks to the resilience of the youth leadership.
“We are so proud of the amazing young people who step up and lead their own adventures in
Scouting,” DeWar said. “This was another great event, and the high attendance speaks to the trust
our movement has in its young leaders.”

Michigan Scouts See Membership Boom Post-COVID

by orionontv | Jan 10, 2023 | Scouting

Brandon Kathman FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sr. District Executive & Operations Marketing Lead 1/10/2023
Brandon.Kathman@scouting.org
947-886-5736

Michigan Scouts See Membership Boom Post-COVID

Scouting’s local Michigan Crossroads Council saw an unprecedented increase in youth
membership in 2022, registering 9,648 new participants to end the year with over 27,000
members.

Though initially hindered in its operations by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan Crossroads
Council, which spans the Lower Peninsula, was well positioned to bounce back, according to
Deputy CEO Gary Gilger.

“Families have spent more time together due to COVID, and so they are now seeking out
programs that can be done as a family,” Gilger said. “Further, Scouting provides youth with the
socialization lost during the pandemic, which is great for child development.”

Gilger said much of the growth has been observed in the Cub Scout program, which serves youth
in elementary school. The council ended 2022 with 1,739 more Cub Scouts than the year prior.
Gilger noted exceptional growth in Cub Scout units in Flint, Pontiac, Port Huron, Detroit and

Dearborn as a result of new outreach efforts to previously underserved communities.
“Building on this success in 2023, there will be a special emphasis on middle and high school-age youth to have growth in our older programs,” Gilger said.
Cubmaster Mikah Wisner of Pack 186 in Lake Orion watched his unit swell from a dozen youth members at the beginning of the year to over 50 participants on Dec. 31. According to Wisner, while it has been a challenge to manage such growth, he has enjoyed seeing so many families interested in participating.

“It’s such a refreshing experience to see the growth of youth and parents wanting to get back out
into nature and learn life skills,” Wisner said. “The parents are understanding how important Scouts can be.”

The Boy Scouts of America National Office announced 3% growth across its 253 local councils
on Jan. 6, or a third of the rate at which Scouting in Michigan is growing.

Scouts’ Food Drive a Success in Oakland County

by orionontv | Nov 29, 2022 | Scouting

Brandon Kathman
Sr. District Executive
Brandon.Kathman@scouting.org
947-886-5736

Scouts’ Food Drive a Success in Oakland County

Hundreds of local Scouts helped make the 2022 Scouting for Food drive a success, with over
46,000 pounds of food collected for charities in Oakland County alone.
The drive, which is held between November and December across the state, is the Scouts’ largest
service project of the year. According to project coordinator Bob DeWar, over 100 local packs and
troops have taken part so far in 2022.
“While our drive has concluded in Oakland County, we still have food to collect elsewhere in
Michigan,” DeWar said. “With that said, local Scouts have given us a great start.”
Between Nov. 5 and Nov. 13, Scouts distributed special grocery bags to homes across Oakland
County, requesting that they be filled with nonperishable essentials and placed on doorsteps for
pickup. A week later, those same youth returned to collect on behalf of numerous nonprofits.
Much of the food went to drop sites facilitated by Gleaners Community Food Bank.
“Scouts who participate are walking away with a lesson, not just about the need for good deeds,
but also the rewarding feeling that comes with helping your neighbors,” Kevin Lauro, who
supervised a Gleaners drop site in Novi, said.
The Scouts hope to build on the success of the food drive in years to come. DeWar expressed a
hope that 2023 may see new collection sites and partnerships introduced.
“We’re so proud of all that our young people have accomplished so far this year,” DeWar said.
“As a parent, I was able to watch my own son and daughter participate, and that means the world
to me. As we watch each truckload of food arrive at the collection sites, we can also watch our
children learning valuable life lessons.”
The 2022 Scouting for Food initiative will officially conclude with a final collection in the
Thumb, which will occur in December. For more information about local Scouting, including
upcoming events and how to join a unit, visit michiganscouting.org.

Scouts give back with “Great Shoe Shuffle”

by orionontv | Nov 15, 2022 | Scouting

Brandon Kathman
Sr. District Executive
Brandon.Kathman@scouting.org
947-886-5736

Scouts give back with “Great Shoe Shuffle”

Cub Scouts in the Farmington area have collected over 600 pairs of used shoes to support those in
need as part of a drive that will end with a charity run on Nov. 19.
According to the shoe drive’s coordinator, Rachael Ayotte, Scouts have been collecting footwear
since October. Local Pack 45, Pack 179, Pack 226, Pack 231, Pack 263, Pack 362 and Pack 389
all participated in the endeavor.
“This was a great opportunity for our local packs to work with each other and collaborate with
Farmington Public Schools,” Ayotte said. “I know that this success will lead to further
opportunities to bring Scouting to kids in the Farmington area.”
The Cub Scout Packs placed a shoe collection box at each of the nine Farmington Public Schools
elementary buildings. Scouts decorated the boxes and made announcements at school, calling for
donations of new or gently used shoes. The shoes were then collected, sorted and organized by
the Cub Scouts.
On Nov. 9, the Scouts invited those in need to the Maxfield Education Center for a pop-up shop,
where the full selection was available at no cost. Ayotte estimated that about 300 pairs were
“shuffled” to new owners locally. The Scouts delivered the remaining pairs to Soles 4 Souls and
Foster Closet. Any shoes not suitable for reuse were recycled.
“This event allowed Cub Scouts and their families to live out many tenets of the Scout Law,”
Ayotte said. “A Scout is thrifty – keep good shoes out of the landfill.”
The Scouts will gather one more time on Nov. 19 for a run to benefit Soles 4 Souls at East Middle
School, as an anonymous patron has pledged to donate funds for each lap they complete around
the track.
“This is what we love to see our Scouts doing for their communities,” Bob DeWar, a field director
with Scouting’s Michigan Crossroads Council, said. “Instilling a spirit of cheerful service in
young people is at the foundation of our mission.”

Lincoln Genslak, Clark Oliver, Sawyer Genslak, Rachael Ayotte, Ellis Mahoney and Henry Bristow

Eddie Carson, Clay Carson, Benjamin Mortlock and Sam Mortlock

Over 600 pairs of shoes wait to be claimed by new owners