Piedmont Council BSA’s 100th Annual Recognition Dinner
The Piedmont Council BSA’s 100th Annual Recognition Dinner last month included many awards for volunteers who make the program a success.
On Thursday, March 25th, 7pm, the Piedmont Council recognized the volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to helping youth build character, fitness, citizenship, and leadership. In 2020, Piedmont Scouts contributed over 5,000 hours of volunteer service to the community. And those hours don’t even represent the thousands of hours that adult volunteers spent mentoring and guiding the Scouts!
Volunteers recognized included:
- Sue Smegal, Silver Beaver
- Bill Bruin and Katy Kobal, District Award of Merit
- David Ashton, President’s Award
- Bridget Bentley, William J Peterson Youth Leadership Award
- Distinguished Scouters from each unit, including:
- Pete Ashton, Troop 1
- Midori Lambert, Troop 4
- Francisco Dominguez, Troop 6
- Anne Hauss Davies, Troop 11
- Robert Barbosa & Maria Topete, Troop 15
- John Mittan, Pack 4
- David Cole, Pack 5
- June Behrendt, Pack 6
- Rob Kelly, Crew 22
- Our amazing council program volunteers
- The outstanding tree lot committee
- The virtual auction trailblazers
The Silver Beaver is the highest recognition that a council can give a volunteer, and our council is only able to give one a year. Pictured below is Sue receiving her Silver Beaver Award from her son Tom Smegal, Scoutmaster, Troop 11.
The District Award of Merit is the highest recognition a District can give a volunteer, and our council is able to present one or two a year.
We are proud of all the volunteers who selflessly give of themselves to mentor, support, lead, and encourage our local youth.
Included in the honorees is one award presented to a youth who demonstrates outstanding youth leadership and service to the Council.
William R. Peterson Award for Leadership by Youth – This award was established in 1999 to honor William R. Peterson, a lifelong Scouter, who passed away the prior year. This award is to recognize a Piedmont Council youth, who through his/her leadership, demonstrates the benefits of being a youth run organization and has demonstrated outstanding youth leadership.
This year’s Peterson Award is presented to Bridget Bentley! As the Piedmont Community Service Crew (PCSC) President this year, Bridget led her team of 9 VPs, organized and presided over the monthly crew meetings, and still dedicated time getting to know new members. In the past, she’s been VP Fundraising, VP Administration, served on the Rebuilding Together Oakland house renovation project planning team, led the summer trip planning. She attended the 6-day National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) course, and served on the NYLT course staff the following year. She was the co-founder of Camp Crew which took over the planning of Piedmont’s Cub Scout Day Camp, the served as Camp Crew President last year when we had to retool the camp plans to being a virtual camp and then was the Day Camp SPL, the head counselor.
Bridget joined High Adventure Crew freshman year, and discovered that she loved backpacking. She is presently a co-VP Administration in HAC and an essential reason for that crew’s ongoing success.
Bridget has been involved in the Piedmont BSA Council Board of Directors as a member of the Marketing Committee. She’s also been working on the Venturing Awards, nearly through the Pathfinder Award level. Congratulations Bridget!