Area residents honored at Boy Scout Council Recognition Dinner

Two area residents were awarded the Silver Beaver Award at the Pony Express Council Recognition Dinner of the Boy Scouts of America on April 1. The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Upon nomination by their local Scout council and with the approval of the National Court of Honor, recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council. The Silver Beaver is an award given to those who implement the Scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service.

Recipients of the Silver Beaver award are not made aware they are to be receiving the award until their name is announced at the Recognition Dinner.

The first recipient to be called was Carl Van Dunham, who is known as Van to those in the Scouting program. Dunham joined Cub Scouts in 1970 and Boy Scouts in 1973. Dunham served as a camp staffer for many years at Camp H. Roe Bartle in Osceloa and took time off from his full time job to work camp for $65 a week. One year, Dunham was going to work his full time job and could not work at Bartle, but the pool director broke his collar bone and could not work, so they called Dunham. He finished his day at work, called his boss and headed to camp.

In 1986 Dunahm bought a farm outside of Hamilton to call home. Dunham married his wife Anita in 1988. He was approached and took on the task of beginning a Cub Scout Pack in 1989 in Hamilton. In 1993 he became the Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 70 and for twenty years, has served as the assistant or the Scoutmaster.

Dunham began attending the local Boy Scout Camp, Camp Geiger, near St. Joseph in 1993 and has not missed a year since. Dunham continues to attend both Geiger and Bartle every year. Dunham has helped organize and host both spring and fall camporees and hosts a Klondike Derby – the winter camporee of the Boy Scouts which is hailed by many as one of the very best around.

Dick Doornink who introduced him at the Silver Beaver said, “He is only my short list of people to call when I need help with a scout project.” Doornink said Dunham has assisted with wilderness survival campouts and when asked to do Atle-Atle activity, Dunham built his own darts out of cane and hosted the activity at the council campout in downtown St. Joseph.

The second recipient to be called from District Two of the Pony Express Council was Cameron resident, John Rupert. According to his introduction by Gary Highfield, Rupert wears many titles, including Distinguised Eagle Scout, son, husband, father, Scouter and friend. Rupert has served as a youth baseball coach, band booster, PTA member and volunteer and school bus driver.

Highfield explained how Rupert would make sure he knew all the students names when he was a bus driver and strive to make a connection with them. He would often eat lunch with the elementary students on his route and encourage them in all they did. When driving the bus to a school event, he didn’t wait in the bus, but would be in the stands cheering on the students. Many continue to seek him out today and often comment on how much they respect him.

Rupert began his Scouting tenure as a youth and served as a member of the Bartle Camp Staff. Rupert is a member of the Order of the Arrow, the Tribe of Mic-o-Say and serves as assistant dance director for his district’s dance team. At the unit level, he has served as a pack committee member, Tiger Cub Coach, Den Leader, Assistant Scoutmaster and Assistant Crew Advisor. His wife Susan describes him as one who “aspires to inspire our youth to reach their potential and to be successful, then challenges them to reach beyond.”

Rupert has given as much effort to his daughter Amanda’s Girl Scout troop as he has Boy Scouts – helping with bronze and silver projects, assisting with badge work, recognitions, ceremonies, father-daughter dances and numerous other activities. Throughout Rupert’s tenure in Scouting, he has received many honors, but Highfield said in his remarks, “I know he believes his greatest honors are being a husband to his wife, Susan, being the father of his daughter Amanda and his son John, and being a friend to many.”

Rupert’s wife Susan attended the evening’s dinner and events with him, but he was surprised by the presence of his daughter Amanda and son John who were the first to congratulate their father.

Other Silver Beaver recipients in the Council were David Lewis and Shannon Moore.