It’s Volunteer Appreciation Week, so time to #ThankAScouter you know

A year ago, Troop 443 of North Carolina was on a weekend campout when the Scouts made a daunting discovery: They didn’t bring enough food.

“We realized that our patrol members failed to plan for all our food needs,” writes Star Scout Miles L.

One of the Troop 443 adults, DeeAnn Vincent, quietly left camp, went to a grocery store and purchased additional supplies. She did this without fanfare and with her own money. She never asked for reimbursement from the Scouts or their parents.

Miles admits he and his fellow Scouts probably deserved to survive on scant supplies that weekend. That would’ve taught them an important lesson about being prepared.

But instead, they learned a bigger lesson about doing a Good Turn when nobody is watching. About compassion. And, yes, they still learned that other lesson anyway.

“Without her kindness, we would have gone hungry. And we deserved that,” Miles says. “But we never failed to plan for enough food at any camp after that.”

Miles’ story about DeeAnn — a leader who went above and beyond in the service of Scouts — is repeated again and again in packs, troops, teams, crews, ships and posts across the country.

For Volunteer Appreciation Week, we’re encouraging everyone to #ThankAScouter they know, using that hashtag on social media. To get you started, here are more great stories of terrific Scouters.

Grisell Rodríguez, who maintains a ‘super standard of excellence’ in the Puerto Rico Council

Pack 831 had been closed for business for four years. There weren’t enough Scouts or leaders.

Enter Grisell Rodríguez. She started with seven Cub Scouts and now has 14. All of the pack’s leaders are Youth Protection trained and taking additional training for their jobs.

Pack 831 is thriving and will add four Lions this fall.

“With a program packed with adventure, service projects and camping, the Cubmaster has maintained a super standard of excellence,” writes Lizzette Quinones. “All the Cub Scouts thanked her. Hooray for Grisell!”

Linda Veach, a ‘Scout’s best friend’ in the Middle Tennessee Council

Linda Veach does a little of everything for her district in the Middle Tennessee Council.

She’s been the Popcorn Kernel, day camp director, Cub Scout-level trainer, and has led multiple campouts and family weekends.

That’s why Joyce Wheaton calls Linda a “Scouts’ best friend.”

“She can always be counted on to do whatever is needed for Scouting, especially for the Cub Scouts,” Joyce writes.

Tim Williams, who brings a ‘strong belief in the value of Scouting’ to the Twin Rivers Council (N.Y.)

Tim Williams became an Eagle Scout in the 1970s in Florida. When he moved to New York in 2001, he figured it was time to give back to the program that had given him so much.

So he contacted Beth VanSchaick and asked how he could become involved.

He became an assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 56. Since then, he has served as committee chairman, Eagle Board of review member and district commissioner.

“I think it’s important to mention, in all this, that Tim has no children of his own,” Beth writes, “merely a strong belief in the value of Scouting.”

The leaders of Troop 4, who helped the Allohak Council (W.Va.) troop turn 100

You don’t get to 100 without doing something right.

That something, in the case of Parkersburg, W.Va., Troop 4, has involved dedicated leaders making sure Scouts get everything they want out of the program.

The troop turned 100 on April 7, 2017, and the Scouts above emailed me to publicly thank “our leaders who volunteered for our troop throughout the years that made us reach a century.”

This includes, they write, Scoutmaster Rachel and Assistant Scoutmasters Al, Brandon, Doc Whitaker and Mr. C.

“Without you all, we would be nothing,” the Scouts write.

Another thank you goes to the leaders of Troop 4’s affiliated Cub Scout pack, Pack 4. The Cub Scout program at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church had become dormant but is back and better than ever.

Now, the Cub Scouts below told me, “we have lots of fun in Scouting because of their caring.”

The Ninja Scout’s Scoutmaster in the Cascade Pacific Council

Jackson Meyer, the Eagle Scout who competed on the NBC reality competition show American Ninja Warrior, is joining the #ThankAScouter fun.

His appreciation goes to the Scoutmaster of Troop 642 of Seaside, Ore.

Without him, Jackson says, “I never would’ve achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. I probably wouldn’t have made it past Tenderfoot.”

Watch Jackson’s video below:

Eagle Scout Creek Stewart’s Scoutmaster

Creek Stewart, Eagle Scout and survival expert, took a moment to thank his Scoutmaster.

More #ThankAScouter fun

The #ThankAScouter movement is a way to celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week by thanking an adult leader you know.

Join the excitement by using that hashtag on social media, leaving some remarks below or emailing me your story.

Even more #ThankAScouter posts

Here are some more great comments from Facebook:

#ThankAScouter images to use and share

Feel free to use these Scouting magazine images on social media to celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.