The National Capital Area Council Scout Executive Selection Committee has announced that it has chosen Les Baron as the new National Capital Area Council (NCAC) Scout Executive. Mr. Baron is currently the Orange County Council Scout Executive. He will begin his assignment with NCAC on April 16, 2010.

Prior to serving in Orange County, Les was the Scout Executive in Tampa, Florida and Griffin, Georgia. He began his career in the Smoky Mountain Council in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1981.

According to a Council news release, “We are looking forward to having Les guide our Council to fulfill the vision of the strategic plan, serving more youth with an unsurpassed quality program and continuing our traditions as the ‘flagship council of America.’”

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The company with the nation’s fastest 3G network is not only improving wireless coverage in Orange County but is also helping to provide opportunities for Orange County’s youth. ATT* announced today a donation of more than $325,000 to the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America, which will be presented at an Angels Baseball game in Anaheim, Calif. The money is a result of the 11th annual ATT Classic, which was recently held in Carlsbad, Calif.

“The dollars raised in this tournament help the Orange County Council continue to provide opportunities for local youth, including disadvantaged children, to participate in the Scoutreach and Learning for Life programs,” said Les Baron, scout executive, The Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America. “Without ATT’s help and the fundraising efforts of this annual golf tournament and silent auction, these programs would be unable to sustain themselves, leaving more than 32,000 youth without the character-building and leadership opportunities that the Orange County Council provides.”

Since its inception in 1998, this tournament has raised more than $3.2 million in net proceeds. All proceeds benefit the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America. With five facilities and more than 65,000 youth involved in the scouting program, the Orange County Council is one of the largest in the country.

“We continually strive to find ways to positively impact our local communities,” said Andy Shibley, ATT’s Greater Los Angeles Vice President and General Manager. “ATT has a long-standing tradition of supporting charitable organizations and initiatives that strengthen the community and this is no different. All of the proceeds from this event go directly to help Orange County’s youth.”

This year’s tournament committee comprises executives from ATT and is chaired by Shibley and Matt Cave, ATT area retail sales manager of the Greater Los Angeles market.

More information about the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America can be found online at www.ocbsa.org.

For the complete array of ATT offerings, visit www.att.com. Note: This ATT release and other news announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss.

*ATT products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of ATT Inc. under the ATT brand and not by ATT Inc.

Source: ATT Inc. Press Release

My apologies to ATandT but the and sign was breaking the rss feed…

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On June 11, 2008 an F-3 tornado tore through 200 acres of the Mid-America Council’s 1800 acre Little Sioux Scout Ranch located at the Loess Hills, in Iowa. There were 124 Scouts and Scouters attending the Council’s National Youth Leadership Training Course, “Pahuk Pride”, that night when four Scouts lost their lives.

Mid-America Council plans to install a replica of the exclusive McKenzie Statue at the entrance of the Mid-America Council – Durham Scout Center, as a tribute to not only the four young men, but also to the 120 others that personified the scouting movement that night with their heroic actions and compassion for their fellow Scouts.

What is the McKenzie Statue?

Dr. R. Tait McKenzie was a surgeon, physical educator, artist, and sculptor. He was a personal friend of Lord Baden-Powell. Dr. McKenzie was a member of the Philadelphia Council Executive Board from 1911 until his death in 1938. When asked in 1914 to create something tangible “that would stand as a symbol of what scouting stood for, “Dr. McKenzie sculpted his beloved statue portraying the “Ideal Boy Scout.”

The sculptor portrayed in his statue the traits of character he knew the movement to install in a boy. To Dr. McKenzie, the uncovered head represented reverence and obedience; the ax on which the hand rests was a symbol of George Washington’s truthfulness.

The Philadelphia Council (now known as Cradle of Liberty Council) sells these life-size cast bronze statues only as an accommodation as a special request. Since the first was erected, 31 statues have been cast and are located around the world. Each of the life-size statues weighs 500 pounds and stands 6’ feet tall. They are individually cast, which is a very time consuming process and can take up to 6 months to complete. Considerable time, effort, and skill is required to supervise each casting. This is done by the Sculptor-in-Residence at Princeton University, one of Tait McKenzie’s students. He approves the location of each statue.

Other McKenzie Statue Locations:
– Boy Scouts of Canada, National Office
– Central Region Council: Naperville, IL
– Dauch Service Center, Detroit Area Council: Detroit, MI
– Gerald R. Ford Council: Grand Rapids, MI
– Gilwell Park: England
– Great Sauk Trail Council: Ann Arbor, MI
– Greater Cleveland Council: Cleveland, OH
– Indianhead Council: St Paul, MN
– Middle Tennessee Council, Brentwood, TN
– Milwaukee County Council: Milwaukee, WI
– Occoneechee Council, Raleigh, NC
– Simon Kenton Council: Columbus, OH
– Southwest Michigan Area Council: Kalamazoo, MI
– University of Pennsylvania, PA
– Winnebago Council: Waterloo, IA

This project is estimated to cost $28,000 total. The statue itself costs $15,700, shipping to Omaha $2,000, concrete base $5,000, Bronze Plaque listing the N.Y.L.T. participants $2,500, Bronze Plaque listing the contributing Councils.

The Mid-America Council is inviting all Councils to help memorialize the young heroes of June 11, 2008. If you are interesting in supporting this effort, please ask your local Boy Scout Council how they are collecting donations. A list of the Council’s that support the project will be listed on the base of the statue.

The following Councils have already forwarded their support: Evangeline Area Council; Jayhawk Area Council; Mid-Iowa Council; Northern Star Council; Okefekokee Area Council; Orange County Council; Patriot’s Path Council; Pennsylvania Dutch Council; Philmont Scout Ranch; Pine Burr Area Council; Potomac Council; Westchester-Putnam Council.

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