Boy Scouts share the International Peace Light in the Valley

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Neighbors | Submitted.Boy Scouts and their leaders from Boy Scout Troop 60 presented the International Peace Light flame to the congregation of Bethel Lutheran Church in Boardman during the St. Lucia Festival and Children's Christmas Pageant Service on Dec. 13. Participating in the presentation to Paster Richard Kidd (center) were, from left, John Russell, Joe Vasko, David Santangelo, Colin Russell, Stephan Vasko, Mathew Vasko and Dave Santangelo.

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Neighbors | Submitted.Members of the Boy Scout Troop 22 transferred the International Peace Light to the owners, Dora Jean and Stephan Havrilla, of the JMJ Spiritual Connections II store in Cornersburg on Dec. 4. Participating in the ceremony were, from left, Anson Hankey, Tyler Bartell, Ryan Brooks, Aden Hankey, Michael Curry, Rocco Shasho, Assistant Scoutmaster Ron Brooks and Scoutmaster Jim Bartell.

With the arrival of the International Peace Light on Nov. 30, at the Greater Western Reserve Boy Scout Council office in Warren, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts were busy distributing the Peace Light flame to churches and their friends and families in the Valley.

The Peace Light flame was available at the council office to anyone of any faith throughout the weeks before Christmas. Many people came from all over northeast Ohio to receive the flame and return to their homes and share it with their churches.

Two deliveries made by Boy Scouts occurred at the JMJ Spiritual Connections II store in the Cornersburg area of Youngstown and Bethel Lutheran Church in Boardman.

On Dec. 4, Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 22 from St. Christine’s Church transferred the flame to the owners of the Spiritual Connections II store, Dora Jean and Stephan Havrila, who for the third year had the flame available to anyone in the community during their normal business hours. People from as far as Salem came to the store to receive the flame.

On Dec. 13, Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 60 from Westminster Presbyterian Church transferred the flame during the St. Lucia Festival and Children’s Christmas Pageant at Bethel Lutheran Church in Boardman. The church also made the Peace Light flame available to anyone in the community before and after Christmas.

For more than 25 years the Peace Light from Bethlehem has been brought from overseas to America through the cooperation of the Austrian Broadcasting Company – ORF (Linz), Austrian Airlines and the Austrian Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. The 2015 arrival of the Bethlehem Peace Light arrived this year at the JFK airport on Nov. 28.

This year’s sponsor in the United States is the Brooklyn Catholic Committee on Scouting. They have provided for its distribution throughout North America, including Canada and Mexico. All Peace Lights originated from this American location as couriers deliver the Peace Light to various locations on the continent.

You can see more information about this year’s efforts by visiting the websites www.peacelight.org or www.scout.org/peacelight.