Scouters receive 2023 Silver Buffalo, Silver Antelope awards, Scouting’s top national and territorial volunteer honors

Volunteers help transform the lives of young people and prepare them to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes.

Without the tireless efforts of den leaders, Scoutmasters, committee members, Venturing Advisors, Sea Scout ship Skippers, Exploring post Advisors and every other adult leader, the Boy Scouts of America wouldn’t be able to deliver the program’s mission to hundreds of thousands of youth every year.

To honor certain Scouters for their outstanding efforts, the BSA bestows what is known as the Silver Family of BSA awards. These include the council-level Silver Beaver, territory-level Silver Antelope and national-level Silver Buffalo.

This year’s honorees join an illustrious list of people who have given noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth, dating back to 1925 for Silver Buffalo recipients and 1942 for Silver Antelope honorees.

The Silver Buffalo and Silver Antelope recipients were honored at this year’s National Annual Meeting, held May 30 to June 1 in Atlanta, Ga. This was the first in-person meeting since 2019.

2023 Silver Buffalo honorees

This year’s Silver Buffalo recipients are (*Eagle Scout):

Mike Bliss

Mike Bliss*, Klamath Falls, Ore. Bliss has served the BSA for 43 years in roles including Crater Lake Council executive board member, National Camp Accreditation Program assessment team member and World Scout Jamboree Alpha Base camp commissioner. He has received the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and Order of the Arrow Distinguished Service Award. One of his proudest achievements involved earning the Eagle Scout rank.

Salvatore Ciampo

Salvatore Ciampo*, Bethpage, N.Y. Ciampo has served the BSA for 23 years in roles including Theodore Roosevelt Council president, Territory 10 Sea Scout Commodore and National Strategic Analysis and Facilities Management Subcommittee chair. He has received the Silver Beaver, Distinguished Eagle Scout Award and Order of the Arrow Centurion Award. One of his proudest achievements involved being a Cubmaster and Scoutmaster.

Robert Coleman

Robert Coleman*, Woodside, Calif. Coleman has served the BSA for 30 years in roles including president of the Piedmont Council, Western Region Endowment Chair, National Advisory Council member and BSA National Foundation member. He has received the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. One of his proudest achievements involved voting to allow gay youth into the BSA.

Donald Dare

Donald Dare, Powell, Tenn. Dare has served the BSA for 32 years in roles including the Great Smoky Mountain Council’s vice president of district operations, Area 6 president, Duty to God Breakfast chair and National Camp Accreditation Program committee member. He has received the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Whitney M. Young Award and Council Alumnus of the Year. One of his proudest achievements involved seeing his son earn the Eagle Scout rank.

Joel Eacker

Joel Eacker, Las Vegas, Nev. Eacker has served the BSA for 28 years in roles including president of the Las Vegas Area Council and the Blue Mountain Council and president of Area 1 in the Western Region. He has received the Silver Beaver and the Silver Antelope. One of his proudest achievements involved supporting councils in progressing in from 30% to 60% direct-contact leader trained.

Laurence Green

Laurence Green*North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Green has served the BSA for 53 years in roles including Indian Waters Council executive board member, National Camp Accreditation Team member and Philmont Training Center faculty member. He has received the NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award, Silver Beaver and District Award of Merit. One of his proudest achievements involved serving as the crew Advisor for three Philmont treks.

Janet Griffin

Janet Griffin, Kennewick, Wash. Griffin has served the BSA for 40 years in roles including Blue Mountain Council executive board member, Territory 1 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion lead, National Cub Scouting Committee member and National Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee member. She has received the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Bronze Pelican and Philmont Training Center masters track. One of her proudest achievements involved serving on the National Family Scouting Advisory Committee that welcomed girls to all Scouting programs.

Norfleet Johnston Sr.

Norfleet Johnston Sr., Loretto, Tenn. Johnston Sr. has served the BSA for 63 years in roles including Northeast Georgia Council president, Region 6 executive committee member and National Scouting Museum Committee member. He has received the Silver Beaver. One of his proudest achievements involved co-founding the National Scouting Museum.

Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller*, Boulder, Colo. Miller has served the BSA for 23 years in roles including Garden State Council executive board member, vice president of program for the Northeast Region and chair of the BSA Alumni Association. He has received the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and National Venturing Leadership Award. One of his proudest achievements involved creating a National Camping School section focused on first-year camper programs.

Patrick Noack

Patrick Noack*, Delray Beach, Fla. Noack has served the BSA for 50 years in roles including being on the Gulf Stream Council board of directors, chair of Territory 16 and chair of the National Program Development Committee. He has received the Silver Beaver and Silver Antelope. One of his proudest achievements involved training and certifying more than 1,000 council aquatics directors as he served as an aquatics section director at National Camp School.

William Perkins

William Perkins*, Providence, Utah. Perkins has served the BSA for 55 years in roles including Order of the Arrow lodge advisor, Order of the Arrow Section advisor and served on staff for every National Jamboree from 1981 to 2023, five World jamborees between 1957 and 2019, and 14 National Order of the Arrow conferences. He has received the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and George Meany Award. One of his proudest achievements involved being a Scoutmaster.

The Hon. Randy Potts

The Hon. Randy Potts*, Glenwood, Md. Potts has served the BSA for 33 years in roles including National Capital Area Council vice president of membership, region executive committee member and NESA National Committee member. He has received the NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award, Order of the Condor Award and Silver Antelope. One of his proudest achievements involved watching youth mature in leadership and service.

Leonard Williams Jr.

Leonard Williams Jr.*, Orlando, Fla. Williams Jr. has served the BSA for 32 years in roles including Central Florida Council board chair, Southern Region board member and Territory 9-16 chair. He has received the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. One of his proudest achievements involved earning the Eagle Scout rank.

Lisa Wylie

Lisa Wylie, Oro Valley, Ariz. Wylie has served the BSA for 23 years in roles including Chief Seattle Council vice president of membership, Area 1 vice president of membership, National Cub Scouting Committee chair. She has received the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and District Award of Merit. One of her proudest achievements involved seeing her two sons earn the Eagle Scout rank.

2023 Silver Antelope honorees

The Silver Antelope Award honorees this year are:

Territory 1

Kaleen Deatherage, Portland, Ore.

Territory 2

Terrance Brown, FAIA, Corrales, N.M.

Michael Hunter, Roswell, N.M.

Territory 3

Rick Clark, Piedmont, Calif.

Stephen Dodson, Mission Hills, Calif.

Territory 4

William Lenker, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Marvin Wilson, Pleasant Hill, Iowa

Territory 5

Scott Erikson, Omaha, Neb.

Glenn Hay, O’Fallon, Mo.

Dale Werts, Edgerton, Mo.

Territory 6

Ronald Peterson, Lake Forest, Ill.

Anna Helene Tuohy, North Aurora, Ill.

Territory 7

T.W. Cook, Georgetown, Texas

Steve Taylor, Magnolia, Texas

Territory 8

Kenneth Gordon, Keller, Texas

Gene Stewart Jr., Lufkin, Texas

Territory 9

Richard Gargas Jr., Indianapolis, Ind.

Robert Hemmerly, St. Paris, Ohio

Territory 10

Frederick Thornley, East Aurora, N.Y.

Brad VanAuken, Honeoye Falls, N.Y.

Territory 11

John Andres, Chatham, Mass.

James Steiner, Concord, N.H.

Territory 12

Ann Rose, Wheeling, W.Va.

Brian Tedeschi, Coraopolis, Pa.

Territory 13

Archer Jones, Flanders, N.J.

William Kropa, Nazareth, Pa.

Territory 14

William Fickling III, Macon, Ga.

Deborah Huff, Birmingham, Ala.

Jason Stribling, Demorest, Ga.

Territory 15

Henry Clark III, Lugoff, S.C.

Mickey Kluttz, Burlington, N.C.

Territory 16

Charles Griner Jr., Sumrall, Miss.

 

To see a map of each territory, click here.


About Michael Freeman 470 Articles
Michael Freeman, an Eagle Scout, is an associate editor of Scout Life and Scouting magazines.