Recipients from left are Peter Steiner, Cory Jenner, George Twichell Jr., Diane Drake, Mark Perrin, Rodney St. Clair, Al Giardullo, Jeff Ball, John Devlin and Rick Bosworth.
(Vernon, NY – May 2013) On Thursday M
ay 16 at Dibble’s Inn in Vernon the Revolutionary Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America recognized 10 volunteers, who over the years have shown outstanding dedication to the Scouting program.
Over 120 gathered to celebrate these individuals on behalf of our community for all their leadership and service, and asked them to continue to make a difference by setting a moral tone in the lives of our youth.
Council President, Tony Colón said, “The Revolutionary Trails Council is a gem and a marvelous community asset. It is an organization with the capability to change lives and be a part of the future of the youth and families we serve.”
Awards Recipients:
- Cory Jenner (Pack 21, Chittenango) received the Hornaday Award for having a positive influence on youth and implementing educational programs such as environmental conservation.
- Jeff Ball , Rick Bosworth (Troop 107, Perryville), John Devlin (Troop 4, New Hartford), Al Giardullo (Pack 51, Floyd), Cory Jenner, Peter Steiner (Troop 31, Little Falls) received the District Award of Merit for rendering outstanding service at the district level.
- Diane Drake (Troop 39, Oriskany), Mark Perrin (Troop 108, Waterville), Rodney St. Clair, and George Twichell Jr. (Troop 21, Richfield Springs) received the Silver Beaver Award for their distinguished service. Recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council. These recipients implement the Scouting program and exemplify community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service. It is given to those who do not actively seek it.
About the Award Recipients
Jeff Ball
Jeff Ball serves as the District Commissioner for the Adirondack Foothills District, a position he has held since 2010. He also serves on the Revolutionary Trails Council Executive Board and the Finance Committee.
As a boy, Jeff was active as both a Cub and Boy Scout in New Hartford. He worked at Cedarlands Scout Reservation for 6 summers, and was Camp Director in 1981 and 1982. He became a District Executive with the Upper Mohawk Council, in Utica, and served from 1980 to 1983. Later, as an adult leader, Jeff served as Troop Committee Chairman from 1990 to 1992 in Albany, NY.
Jeff is active in his community. Most notably he has served as director of the 5K run at Frog Fest for many years. He is also active in the Oneida County Chamber of Commerce and other community organizations.
Gick Bosworth
“Rick” is active with Pack and Troop 107 in Perryville, where he currently serves as the Committee Chairman for both units. In 15 years of service, he has served in the following unit level positions: Den Leader, Webelos Den Leader, Committee Member, Advancement Chairman, Popcorn Kernel, Assistant Scoutmaster, and Eagle Scout Mentor.
On the district level, Rick has served as a member of the Advancement Committee, Eagle Board of Review Member, and Merit Badge Counselor. He regularly attends summer camp with his troop, and Cedarlands Scout Reservation, he says, is his “home away from home.”
In his community, Rick has been active with many church activities, Pop Warner Football, Cazenovia Ski Club, and the Fenner Conservation Club.
John Devlin
John Devlin has served as the District Chairman of the Adirondack Foothills District since 2007. In this role, he successfully kept the volunteers on the district committee focused on delivering a quality Scouting program to more and more youth. He is also active as the Committee Chairman of Troop 4 in New Hartford, where he has been involved since 2004. An Eagle Scout, John continuously gives back to Scouting for what it has provided to him. His son Sean is also an Eagle Scout.
John served on the Executive Board of the Hiawatha Seaway Council in Syracuse prior to moving to our area. He was also the Council’s Eagle Dinner Chairman for 5 years and sat on the Annual Lobsterfest Committee for 5 years. Originally from New York City, John acted an Assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 269, Ozone Park, NY for 2 years.
When not “Scouting”, John is active in his church and other civic and youth groups in the New Hartford area.
Al Giardullo
Al Giardullo is the Cubmaster of Pack 51 in Floyd, NY. Growing up, he was involved in Scouting in the New York City area, joining Troop 14 in Woodside and later transferring to Troop 125 in New Hyde Park where he earned his Eagle Badge in 1975.
Al became an adult leader when his son became a Cub Scout in our Council in 2008. Al served as a Den Leader, Assistant Cubmaster, and Cubmaster. Pack 51 is known as one of our most active packs, annually sending many Cubs to our summer camps and selling a large amount of popcorn. Al has agreed to be our Council Popcorn Kernel for 2013.
Al’s greatest love is for Camp Kingsley, where he serves as the Chairman of the Camp Kingsley Development Committee. In 2012 he spearheaded the reinvention of Camp Kingsley that resulted in tripling the attendance and huge improvements in the programs offered to the Cubs.
Cory Jenner
Cory Jenner is the Tiger Cub Den Leader and Assistant Cubmaster for Pack 21 in Chittenango, NY. He also serves as a Venturing Crew Committee Member for Crew 21, also in Chittenango. A former Scout, Cory earned his youth and adult religious emblem awards, Den Leader, Cub Scouter and Venturing Awards, and is a member of the Order of the Arrow.
In the Powderhorn District, Cory served as Activities Chairman and Merit Badge Counselor. Cory is also very active with the Council, serving on a number of committees: Cub Scout Camping, Properties, Climbing, Risk Management, and Training. Currently, he is the chairman for all Family Camping events and he will serve as the Camp Director of Camp Kingsley in the summer of 2013.
Outside of Scouting, Cory is active in youth hockey, the Girl Scouts, Trout Unlimited, and many committees related to his career as a Landscape Architect, such as the U.S. Green Building Council, New York State Wetland Forum, and American Society of Landscape Architecture.
Peter Steiner
Peter Steiner is the Scoutmaster of Troop 31 in Little Falls, NY, a role he has served in since 2007. An Eagle Scout, Peter holds both the Scouter’s Religious Award and the Scouter’s Training Award.
In the Adirondack Foothills District, Peter is the Roundtable Commissioner and Chairman of the District Fall Camporee. He also served on the staffs of many other district and council activities. Peter helped the Council with the annual Calendar Planning process and is always in the Scout Service Center resolving computer systems issues or working on various other volunteer opportunities.
Currently, Peter is the Associate Adviser to our OA Lodge, and was previously the Adviser to the Ceremonies Team. Recently, Peter became a Vigil member of our Lodge in recognition of his service past and in the future service to the lodge.
Diane Drake
Diane Drake is a member of the Revolutionary Trails Council’s staff, serving as a Quality Program Executive. She has served in this role since 2011, helping dozens of Cub Scout Packs and other units that require assistance. She is also Camp Director for the Council’s Cub Scout Day Camps each summer, a responsibility that she tells us she absolutely loves.
As a volunteer, Diane has served in a number of different leadership roles, including Tiger Cub Partner, Den Leader, Committee Member, Assistant Cubmaster, Cubmaster, Merit Badge Counselor, District Committee Member, and Unit Commissioner. Diane continues to be active on Roundtable Staffs.
Awards that Diane has earned include the District Award of Merit in 2009, Tiger Cub Den Leader and Den Leader Awards and the Wood Badge and Powder Horn Venturing Awards.
Mark Perrin
Mark Perrin is the Committee Chairman of Troop 108 in Waterville, NY. An Eagle Scout, Mark was active in Scouting, particularly in the Order of the Arrow, in his hometown of Watertown. He attended two National Order of the Arrow Conferences as a youth and served as Lodge Chief of Adirondack Lodge 357 where he was awarded the Vigil Honor.
Mark spent many summers working at Scout Camp, most recently serving as the Waterfront Director at Camp Kingsley. From 1993 to 1997, Mark served as the Camp Director there. He has a passion for song-leading and, self admits, he loves to “act like a Cub Scout”.
Mark is very proud of his three Eagle Scout sons. He holds the District Award of Merit, the Wood Badge, and has attended the National Scout Jamboree as a contingent leader. Mark has a passion for training others and served on numerous district and council training course staffs, including chairing several GAWASA courses.
Rodney St. Clair
Rodney St. Clair is currently a Member-at-Large of the Revolutionary Trails Council. He became active with the Council, then known as Upper Mohawk Council headquartered in Utica, in 1958 when he served as an Assistant Scoutmaster and Neighborhood Commissioner. He was an Assistant Scoutmaster for the 1960 National Scout Jamboree.
Later, Rodney became the Council’s Roundtable Commissioner after attending training at Schiff Scout Reservation in New Jersey. Over the course of many decades, he has continued to serve in a variety of roles at the unit, district and council levels, including Scouts in Action Shows, Order of the Arrow Adviser, and Council Camp Service Weekend Volunteer. In 2013, will mark Rodney’s 65 years of continuous service to Scouting.
Outside of Scouting, Rodney is active in his local church, cemetery association, historical society, various sportsman and conservation clubs, and, most notably, he is a 32 Degree Mason in the Utica chapter. He is a retired New York State Trooper and is still active with several law enforcement organizations.
George Twichell, Jr.
George “Ticker” Twichell currently serves as the Scoutmaster of Troop 21 in Richfield Springs, NY, the position he has held for 17 years. He also served in other unit leadership roles, including Committee Member, Chartered Organization Representative, and Assistant Scoutmaster, as well as Merit Badge Counselor.
Ticker’s service to Scouting dates back to 1964, when he became a Scout in Fayetteville, NY. After earning his Eagle Scout badge in 1970, he became an Assistant Scoutmaster in his local troop. When he moved to West Winfield in 1996, he became active with Troop 21 and still serves today as the Scoutmaster long after his son earned his Eagle badge.
Outside of Scouting, Ticker is active in the West Winfield Optimist and Rotary Clubs, as well as a variety of programs at Mount Markham School. He is also a trainer for the American Red Cross.