Four leaders honored with Scout award
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on January 27, 2006 1:56 PM
Four volunteers received scouting's highest honor during the Tuscarora Boy Scout Council's 83rd annual scout recognition banquet Thursday at the Goldsboro Country Club.
The 2005 Silver Beaver awards went to Howard Huff of Goldsboro, Alice Overby and Hank Daniels, both of Johnston County and Charles Savage of Rose Hill.
The council also bid farewell to former scout executive Bill Lappin and thanked him for his years of service.
News-Argus/Bonnie Edwards
Four scouting volunteers have received scouting's highest honor, the 2005 Silver Beaver award, which were presented to them Thursday night during the 83rd annual banquet of the Tuscarora Council of the Boy Scouts of America. They honorees were, from left, Howard Huff, Alice Overby, Hank Daniels and Charles Savage.
Howard Huff first became involved with scouting in 1983 when his son became a Cub Scout in Pack 10 at Providence United Methodist Church. Huff was pack committee chairman until 1986 and advanced with his son to Boy scout Troop 10, where he was assistant scoutmaster for 10 years. In 1996, after his son became an Eagle Scout, Huff moved to the Torhunta District Committee, where he was chairman of the District Advancement Committee through 2003. He conducted many Eagle boards of review and still helps the current chairman and is active on the troop level.
Alice Overby has served the Boy Scouts as a Cub Scout den leader, lead teacher, troop committee member, assistant scout master, district staff member, unit commissioner, district commissioner and is presently the district advancement chairman for the Neusiok District. She has two sons who have earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
Charles Savage, the scoutmaster for Troop 45 in Rose Hill, also has two sons who are Eagle Scouts. He has helped 16 scouts in his troop become Eagles. He started his scouting journey as a member of Pack 45, earned his Arrow of Light, and was a scout in Troop 45. He became a den leader in 1987 and joined the troop in 1991 as the assistant scoutmaster. He was praised for his long-time commitment to scouting, the community and to his church.
Hank Daniels is vice president of programs for the Tuscarora Council and for the past year has been district chairman for the Neusiok District. In addition to his tireless work for the scouts, his nomination read, he also solicited more than half the sponsors for the 2004 Johnston County Golf Tournament.
The council also recognized 12 of the 50 Scouts who, during the course of 2005, achieved the rank of Eagle, the highest honor for Scouts.
The council also thanked Bill Lappin, who has gone to work for the Occoneechee Council in Raleigh as the director of its capital campaign and endowment fund. The council is searching for a new scout executive and hopes to find a new scout executive by March 1.
Council President Jimmy Daniels described Lappin as a special friend and leader. He said he and Lappin have worked together as friends in and out of scouting.
"We traveled many miles together," he said. "He has represented our council at the highest level."
He said the average tenure for a council executive is about eight years. Lappin stayed with Tuscarora 21 years.
"Our council is 83 years old this year, and Bill served 25 percent of that time," he said thanking Lappin for "making Tuscarora one of the best in the nation."
Lappin dedicated pretty much his whole adult life to scouts, said Dan Shepherd, who described his first encounter with the scout executive when he was first asked to volunteer with the scouts. Lappin's booming voice and abrupt, outspoken manner were a shock at first, Shepherd said, but Lappin's dedication to excellence impressed him. Shepherd said he has been a volunteer with the council ever since.
Tommy Jarrett read a statement sent by Lappin's oldest son, Chris, who lives in New York City. His son recalled how Lappin would take time to play football with him and his brother, Joe, in the back yard. Chris said he remembered when he was a Cub Scout and his father would help him with the cake raffles and the Pinewood Derby, although his dad's list of skills did not include "baking and the use of power tools."