Scouts honor: 11 Wood County residents recognized for contributions to Boy Scouts

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Eleven Wood County residents were honored Thursday by the Erie Shores Council, Boys Scouts of America, at
its 83rd annual Scouter Recognition Dinner at Camp Miakonda.
According to Joyce Dale, office manager, the term "scouter" refers to an adult who volunteers
with Boy Scouts. It differentiates the adult scouter from the scouts themselves.
The Silver Beaver is the greatest award the council can use to honor an adult volunteer. It recognizes
noteworthy service of exceptional quality to youth both inside and outside of scouting. Nominations for
the prestigious award come from each of the districts that make up the council, and council officials
review the nominations before selecting those who receive the Silver Beaver.
Recipients at the dinner included Russell Eby of Pemberville and Dave Strausbaugh of Bowling Green.
Dale noted that Strausbaugh, the son of Mary and the late Leroy Strausbaugh, "is the only family we
have where the mother, dad and son have been given the award."
He has been a leader in Scouts for 34 years and is the assistant scoutmaster of Troop 422, sponsored by
Conneaut Elementary School, Bowling Green. Strausbaugh is the Camporee chairman at the district level,
in charge of planning programs for the fall, winter weekend and spring Camporees.
He said receiving the Silver Beaver as a second generation of one family is unique. While he noted there
are a lot of fathers and sons who receive Silver Beaver awards, "I don’t know of too many"
father, mother, and son recipients.
Strausbaugh’s wife, Sandy, received an award at the banquet, and their son, John, 22, is an Eagle Scout.
Sandy Strausbaugh has been involved with Girl Scouts for 13 years and "officially" four years
with Boy Scouts as a merit badge counselor.
The District Award of Merit recognizes scouters who have provided outstanding service at a district
level. Receiving this award were Jack Bohland, Walbridge, and Eric Crimmins, Bowling Green.
David Schultz, of Custar, received the Catholic Committee on Scouting Award.
Receiving the Lamb Award for Lutheran Scouters was Mary Straughsbaugh, and Protestant Committee on
Scouting Award went to George Nicholson, Rodney Lanning and Tom Wagner, all of Bowling Green.
Boy Scout Russell Quick of Perrysburg also received the Protestant Committee on Scouting Award. Dale
explained Quick is the first Scout to earn the Four Star Award, having earned all four Protestant
religious awards for each level of scouting, from "God and Me" as a Cub Scout, to "God
and Family," "God and Church" and "God and Life."
In addition, the Boy Scout of America Heroism Award was presented to Boy Scout Joseph Vnuck of Grand
Rapids for a Memorial Day incident in 2008 at his home. While children were swimming in the family’s
pond, Vnuck saved a 6-year-old from drowning. Vnuck is with Troop 347 of Tontogany.
During 2008, 115 young men within Erie Shores Council earned their Eagle Scout rank, the highest
advancement an 11- to 18-year-old can complete. The award involves fulfilling stringent requirements in
areas of leadership, service and outdoor skills as well as a final community service project. Only about
2.5 percent of all Boy Scouts become Eagles.
The council also had 341 Cub Scouts earn the Arrow of Light Award, the highest award a Cub Scout (ages
8-10) can earn. It signifies the Scout did his best every day.

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