MILESTONES

MILESTONES

SCOUTS

Eagle Scout award

Walter Gregory Hilderbrand, son of Nancy and Robert Hilderbrand of New Middletown, received his Eagle Scout Award recently during a court-of-honor ceremony.

Hilderbrand is a member of Troop 119, part of the Whispering Pines District, Greater Western Reserve Council, and chartered to New Springfield Church of God. Scoutmaster is Joseph Angelo.

Hilderbrand has been involved in Scouting since 2008. He earned his Webelo and Arrow of Light awards in Cub Scout Pack 119 in New Middletown. Since joining Troop 119 in 2008, he has held troop positions of senior patrol leader, patrol leader, instructor and junior assistant scoutmaster.

While a member of Troop 119, he was elected to the Order of the Arrow and is a Brotherhood member of Wapashuwi Lodge 56.

He has earned 34 merit badges along with the four 2010 Centennial merit badges. He has attended four years of summer camp at Camp Conestoga. He also attended the 2010 National Scout Jamboree in Fort AP Hill, Va., and participated at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.M., in 2011.

In 2012, he participated in a 50-mile canoe trip at Algonquin Park, Canada.

For his Eagle Scout service project, he planned, coordinated, gathered materials and supervised the removal and installation of landscaping in front of St. James Episcopal Church.

Hilderbrand is a junior at Springfield Local High School where he is on the varsity baseball team and participates in band and drama club. He is a member of St. James Episcopal Church in Boardman where he serves as acolyte and participates in the youth group.

LEADERSHIP

Farm bureau officer

Frank Burkett III of Massillon has been elected first vice president of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, the second-highest elected office in Ohio’s largest and most-inclusive farm organization. He will help guide the bureau’s efforts to fulfill its mission of building a partnership between farmers and consumers.

He will continue serving as District 9 trustee representing members from Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage and Stark counties.

He originally joined the OFBF board in 2007 and has served as the group’s treasurer since 2011.

Burkett is a longtime member of the Stark County Farm Bureau, where he was a board trustee, policy-development chairman and farm-tour chairman. He is a past board member for Ohio Dairy Producers Association.

HONORS

Volunteers honored

Ohio-based volunteers have been recognized by President Barack Obama and humanitarian organization ShelterBox USA with the President’s Volunteer Service Award for their efforts in 2013 to assist disaster survivors. They include Vicki Hoffman and Douglas Simpson, both of East Palestine.

International disaster-relief organization ShelterBox delivers emergency tented shelter and other lifesaving supplies to survivors of disasters and other humanitarian crises.

Through their efforts of raising awareness and funds for ShelterBox, the organization was able to respond to more than 25 disasters in 19 countries last year, providing families with disaster- relief tents, cook stoves, water filters, blankets, mosquito nets, children’s packs and other essential equipment.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award is part of a national recognition program created in 2003 through the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation for individuals of all ages who contribute a significant amount of time to volunteer activities.

Milestones is a regular Sunday feature in The Vindicator. Articles must be submitted within 30 days of the Milestone event. Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you want a picture returned. Pictures also may be picked up at the paper’s Front Street facility at the security guard station. Send items to: Milestones, c/o The Vindicator, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown 44501.