Scout leaders recognized at annual event

Contributed Photo Collins Awarded For Scouting Brahman District executive Hoss Linzza looks on as Leslie Collins presents his son Allen Collins, Scoutmaster of El Campo Troop 368, with a James E. West Fellowship. West was the first Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. The Fellowship represents a $1,000 gift made to the council's endowment fund in Allen's name. This recognition is part of the district's Leslie Collins Award which acknowledges a volunteer Scouter's lifetime of service to the youth of the Brahman District.

The Brahman District of the Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America held its annual leader recognition dinner Thursday, Feb. 7 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in El Campo. The KCs provided the dinner for the evening. The district includes Colorado, Matagorda and Wharton counties.

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Leslie Collins Award. This award was created four years ago to recognize Scouts from the Brahman District for lifetime service. The award includes a James E. West Fellowship, a $1,000 gift made to the council's endowment fund in the honoree's name. Allen Collins, son of the award's namesake, was recognized as the third recipient of the award. As Scoutmaster of Troop 368, he has more than 50 years of service as a volunteer Boy Scout leader.

In addition to this award, the Brahman District received the distinction of "Quality District." This award is given based on meeting these criteria:

• At least 60 percent of the registered units achieve Quality Unit

• No less than 90 percent of the registered units recharter

• New unit goals are met

• Friends of Scouting financial goals attained

• No less than 75 percent membership retention at recharter

• Must achieve 3 percent traditional membership growth

• Provide unit service with at least a 3-to-1 unit commissioner ratio; and

• Must have an active district committee

Wayne Lefferd of Weimar is the first recipient of the District Award of Merit. This award is given to someone who is registered both in a pack and troop, is an Eagle Scout, works hard to promote membership opportunities to the boys in his town, attends roundtable regularly, has earned a training award for his position, has assisted with training programs in the district and at tri-district, has served on a district day camp staff, district camporee staff and has spent a week at Cima with his troop.

The District Award of Merit went to Mark Meysembourg of Weimar, who is registered in a troop, is an Eagle Scout, has worked to promoted membership to boys in his town, attends roundtable regularly, has earned a training award for his position, has chaired a district camporee, earned the national community service award, has led expeditions to the canoe base in Canada, has been in Scouting all over the world and participates in the council's Friends of Scouting campaign.

Units of the year for 2007 were also awarded. In choosing these, the following were taken into consideration: strength of program, adherence to the national program, participation in district and council events and overall Scouting spirit displayed by unit members.

The 2007 Brahman District Explorer Post of the Year went to Bay City Post 2226, chartered by the Bay City Police Department.

The 2007 Brahman District Troop of the Year went to Weimar Troop 228, chartered by First United Methodist Church in Weimar.

East Bernard Pack 3785, chartered by American Legion Post 226, was named 2007 Brahman District Pack of the Year for 2007.

In review, the Brahman District met their Friends in Scouting goal with 97 percent of the community goal met and 115 percent of the family goal met.

The Cub Scout Day Camp held in Crescent welcomed 140 boys and more than 100 leaders. Summer camp to El Rancho Cima involved 172 boys and 59 leaders with the assistance of the George Fleming Foundation assisting 128 boys who received the trip and uniform free of charge. Fourteen Eagle Scouts in the district contributed more than 1,200 hours of service across the three counties. And the district also recorded $60,000 in popcorn sales for 2007.