Boy Scouts Award Volunteers for Outstanding Work

ROGERS – The Razorback District, Westark Area Council Boy Scouts of America held a Volunteer Recognition Banquet on February 19, 2010 at First Christian Church of Rogers.  “Outstanding Leaders of the Year” and District “Awards of Merit” were presented. The Razorback District encompasses Benton, Washington and Madison Counties; Westark Area Council covers 18 counties in the northwest corner of the state.

Receiving “Awards of Merit,” the highest award for outstanding service bestowed by a Boy Scout council at the district level, were Charles Parish, Troy Adams and Kevin Oxford.

Receiving the “Outstanding Cub Scout Leader of the Year” award for excellence in leadership and accomplishments was Gary Talley of Pack 77, Rogers. Receiving the “Outstanding Boy Scout Leader of the Year” award for excellence in leadership and accomplishments was Guy Wilkerson of Troop 52, Bentonville. Receiving the “Outstanding Scout Family of the Year” award for excellence in leadership and accomplishment as a family was the Russell and Heather Willits family, of Pack 65, Fayetteville.

Award of Merit recipient Charles Parish, an Eagle Scout, serves as a leader in many capacities; he is active in both Cub Scout Pack 81 and Boy Scout Troop 2144. Additionally, Charles serves the Westark Area Council as Cub Camp Director at Rogers Scout Reservation, and has organized Razorback District Fall Cub Adventures and Cub Scout Day Camp for the past four years.  Charles also resurrected the District Pinewood Derby.

Award of Merit recipient Troy Adams joined Scouting when his three sons became Cub Scouts and served as Webelos Leader and Cubmaster. Now also involved with Troop 49, Troy is an Assistant Scoutmaster and Merit Badge Counselor. As a National Camp School trained leader, Troy is also active in District and Council activities, including Fall Cub Adventures and Cub Scout Day Camps. Additionally, Troy has assisted in two District Pinewood Derbies, Boy Scout Extravaganza and Boy Scout Outdoor Leader Training. In his spare time, he is very involved in the Westside Elementary Watchdog program and PTO and coaches his boys’ teams through the Rogers Activity Center.

Award of Merit recipient Kevin Oxford has been an active scout leader since joining with his son in 1990. During that time he was a Den Leader and Assistant Cubmaster for Pack 12.  Kevin is now serving as an Assistant Cubmaster beside his Cubmaster son for his grandson’s unit, Pack 911.  He was an active leader in Troop 49 for 15 years where he served as Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster and Committee Chairman. Notably, Kevin has served the Razorback District by taking part in more than 100 Eagle Scout Boards of Review.

Outstanding Cub Scout Leader of the Year Gary Talley has been a Pack 77 Cub Scout Den Leader for eight years and Cubmaster for five years. Gary has shown outstanding pack leadership through his efforts in recruitment of members and leaders and guidance of pack activities. He has organized the Pinewood Derby and as Summertime Activities Chair, Pack 77 has earned the National Summertime Award for the last four years. Gary is also active in Troop 122 of Rogers and will cross over with his youngest son this March.

Outstanding Boy Scout Leader of the Year Guy Wilkerson has been active in Scouting since the early 1950s. He served Troop 52 as Scoutmaster from 1955 to 1986 and continues to be active with his troop.  Guy excels in offering strong guidance to new troop leaders.  This summer, Guy will make his 50th trip to Camp Orr with the troop.  Guy is also an active member of the Kiwanis. True to his lifestyle, he could not be there to accept the award because he was volunteering in Kansas City. 

Outstanding Scouting Family of the Year, the Willits, provide strong leadership to Pack 65 in a number of capacities. For the last five years, Russell has served as the Campout Chairman for Pack 65.  He has been responsible for all aspects of two campouts per year for 150 – 180 participants including food shopping, equipment, and lead cook. Heather has served as the Popcorn Kernel, where she managed the sales, ordering, pack order pick-up and fulfillment of $19,000 worth of popcorn in 2009 alone.  Both Russell and Heather serve on the pack committee and frequently volunteer to help with pack and den meetings. Jonathan Willits, the oldest son, earned Arrow of Light, is now an active member of Troop 116, and currently serves as a Den Chief.  Their son Daniel and three daughters also lend a hand during pack activities and are involved in the community in other capacities as well.  The older children are altar servers at church where Heather is a long-time Sunday school teacher.  Heather also serves as a volunteer/leader in Girls Scouts and gymnastics, and Russell is an adult volunteer for Troop 116.

Razorback District celebrates the accomplishments of these and all the area Scouting leaders. Westark Area Council serves nearly 10,000 youth in a seventeen county area of Northwest section of Arkansas, approximately 4000 of which participate within Benton, Washington and Madison Counties.  For more information about Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts and Venturing call the Mike Boness, Razorback District Director for Westark Area Council at 479-366-8265 or email him at miboness@bsamail.org.