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Williamson Elementary School principal praised Scoutreach program
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Jason Wolf, executive with the Boys Scouts of America, Greater Western Reserve Council, gives the state of Scouting report at the ninth annual Whispering Pines Friends of Scouting Breakfast at Camp Stambaugh in Canfield. At right is Stacia Erdos, who served as mistress of ceremonies at Tuesday’s fundraiser.
Past Whispering Pines District leaders receive ...
CANFIELD
Past Boy Scout leaders were honored and the value of Scouting for the future touted at Whispering Pines District’s ninth annual Friends of Scouting Breakfast fundraiser.
The event, “A Celebration of Scouting,” took place Tuesday at Camp Stambaugh on Leffingwell Road.
Recognized for their combined 150 years of service to the Whispering Pines District of the Greater Western Reserve Council, all of whom died earlier this year, were Robert I. Zedaker Jr., Poland’s Troop 44 scoutmaster for 24 years; George L. Grim, a founding member of Friends of Scouting Breakfast committee; and John D. Wolboldt, who was a longtime assistant scoutmaster and scoutmaster of Troop 25 in Canfield.
Each of them was a recipient of many scouting awards, and all received the Silver Beaver Award, BSA’s council-level distinguished-service award.
BSA’s Scoutreach program brings Scouting to at-risk youths in urban and rural settings.
Scoutreach gives boys in grades one through four at Youngstown’s Williamson Elementary School the tools they need to learn to make good decisions and be future leaders, said Wanda Clarke, principal of the South Side school.
Of Williamson’s 389 students, 100 percent are eligible for the free breakfast and lunch programs.
Clarke said Scoutreach has a behavioral component that requires good behavior and attendance in order to attend the twice-a-week program.
“I want to tell you, most of our boys are eligible each week,” she said.
“Our children need the principles taught by the Boy Scouts,” Clarke said. “On behalf of our students, staff and school, I thank you for loving our children so much that you give them an opportunity. It is a perfect place to invest in the future. We need this program in all our schools.”
Eagle Scout Alek Ball, a member of Troop 44, said he looks to his Scouting experiences for inspiration in all facets of his life.
Ball, valedictorian of the 2013 Poland Seminary High School graduating class and who recently completed his freshman year at Georgetown University, was the Eagle in the Spotlight speaker at the breakfast.
His Eagle Scout service project was to resurface the playground at Willow Creek Learning Center in Boardman. In addition to securing donations, he had to raise $2,000 to complete the project.
He said he came to appreciate the life skills he learned in Scouting.
“They truly defined everything that I wanted my life to be. I look to them for inspiration,” Ball said.
Elinor Zedaker, wife of Robert Jr., talked about what Scouting meant to her husband as well as Grim and Wolboldt.
They shared a commitment to and pride in Scouting, and they were devoted to their families, church and communities, she said.
Zedaker said Troop 44, which was founded in 1923, has 137 Eagle Scouts to its credit, including 34 while her husband was scoutmaster.
“We are very proud our family is in Scouting ... very proud,” she said.
For information about Scouting, volunteering or donating, call Preston Cockrell, district executive of the Whispering Pines District, at 330-898-8474, ext. 15.