Volunteer Leaders Help Define our Future

I am really proud of our Scouting volunteers.

Our movement would not be possible without the leadership and creativity of the 1.2 million adult volunteers that mentor our Scouts today. For more than a century, the time and dedication of our volunteers have helped provide strong leaders and terrific citizens who have helped keep our country strong.

We put our heart and soul into training our adult volunteers to deliver a quality Scouting experience for America’s youth, so it’s extremely gratifying to find a story like this article about Scoutmaster Ricky Warren.

Ricky leads Troop 168 in Natchez Mississippi. That in itself is a huge commitment. But his volunteerism doesn’t stop there. He devotes any free time he can find to organizations like Special Olympics, Knights of Columbus, Disabled Veterans Outreach, and his local volunteer fire department. In addition, he works full time and has a part time job.

Scoutmaster Ricky Warren. Photo courtesy of the Natchez Democrat.

Ricky admits he likes helping people, but especially helping young people through Scouting. “Nowadays, so many youth grow up without parental help or don’t have a father,” he explains. “Scouting is a big part of that, because it teaches life skills.”

I absolutely agree with Ricky’s outlook on Scouting’s role in providing life-changing experiences. Whether it’s through outdoor adventures, service to our community, keeping our kids healthy, or developing leadership skills, we have a tremendous responsibility to provide Scouting’s values to as many of America’s youth as possible.

With great leaders like Ricky, we can look forward to a strong future of sustainable growth. Congratulations to Scoutmaster Ricky Warren and Scout Executive Tony Haines of the Andrew Jackson Council for their impressive commitment to serving the youth of their region!

I’m sure many of you work with terrific volunteers whose stories can be just as inspiring as Ricky’s to attract more adult leaders into our ranks. Please share them here!

More soon!

Wayne