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John Robinson, Trumbull 100 honored
WARREN
John Robinson of Champion, former Boy Scout Troop 25 Scoutmaster, received the Distinguished Scouter Award at the eighth annual Trumbull County Friends of Scouting breakfast fundraiser.
Also, the Trumbull 100 was recognized with the Outstanding Community Service Award at the Monday event at Leo’s Ristorante sponsored by Glunt Industries Inc., Covelli Enterprises Inc., Greenwood Chevrolet and ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital.
The keynote speaker for the Arrowhead District of the Greater Western Reserve Council Boy Scouts of America event was Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Wyatt McKay.
Also present was Judge McKay’s son, Eagle Scout Robert McKay, 17, who has earned 133 merit badges.
The breakfast, also the Arrowhead District’s annual fundraiser, garnered pledges and gifts totaling $39,935.
In 2012, the Arrowhead District supported the families of 1,333 scouts in 55 units who performed more than 3,000 hours of community service and had a retention rate of 75 percent, said Patrick J. McFall, director of the Arrowhead District, which serves a portion of Portage County and all of Trumbull County except Hubbard.
Money is needed to maintain the programs in the district and begin to chip away at needed repairs and improvements at its camps, said Don Groszek, Western Reserve Council president.
“Scouting is growing in our area, yet it has lost funding that allows all boys, including those in need of financial support, to enjoy their Scout journey. Donations to Scouting become an investment in developing role-model leaders for the Mahoning Valley,” he said.
“I stand proudly in my Scout uniform. A uniform instills pride and makes one proud to be a Boy Scout,” Groszek said.
Scouting also consists of camping and the out-of-doors, which teaches skills and responsibility to “be prepared” for what happens in life, he said.
“Our goal is to have more boys enjoy the outdoors and learn the skills to help other people,” Groszek said.
Robinson, 69, former Scoutmaster of Troop 25 and now its assistant Scoutmaster, got his start in Scouting as a Cub Scout in Madison in Lake County and earned his Eagle Scout rank as a member of Troop 55 there.
He served in the Air Force from 1962 to 1966, moved to Champion in 1978, and was with the Ohio State Highway Patrol for 30 years, retiring in 1996. After that, he worked in human resources and safety with PI&I Motor Express in Masury.
While stationed in Okinawa with the Air Force, he headed an off-base Boy Scout troop and got to “teach canoeing in the China Sea.” He has been Scoutmaster of Troop 25, sponsored by Champion Christian Church, two separate times for a total of 12 years.
Robinson said he appreciates the Distinguished Scouter Award, but said “there are a lot of people who deserve it more that I do.”
He is also a recipient of the Silver Beaver and Wood Badge awards as well as the 2012 Bronze Pelican St. George Medal, Scouting awards through the Catholic Church.
“I don’t expect I’ll ever leave Scouting. I’ve gotten to meet some really tremendous people, adults and youth. Scouting is a fantastic organization. The “Scout Oath” is probably one of the most sincere oaths of any organization declaring duty to God, country and yourself. You have an organization of boys who go out looking for things to do for people. It’s an honor to work with these boys,” he said.
To donate to the Arrowhead District, send a check or money order to Boy Scouts of America, Greater Western Reserve Council, 4930 Enterprise Drive Blvd. N.W., Warren, OH 44481-8706, and place Arrowhead on the memo line.