Adult Recognition
For 90 years, innumerable selfless men and women have given time, energy, and resources to help provide amazing adventures to the young people of Gamehaven Council in Southeastern Minnesota. We cannot possibly thank them enough for their dedication to our mission. One of the small ways we thank these volunteers is through the awarding of numerous awards on the unit, district, council, and national levels. These awards recognize adults for completion of trainings, completion of difficult tasks, and especially for being noticed by their peers.
The council annually recognizes these awards at the Fellowship Dinner where awardees go to be announced to the council for their heroic deeds and achievements. You can find more details about the dinner on our calendar.
2025 Nominations Are Open!
Den Leader Training Award
Overview: To recognize amazing den leaders who have completed training, tenure, and performance requirements.
Who is Eligible: Registered Den Leaders who meet the requirements
Who can Nominate: Nominations must be approved by pack committee chair.
Selected By: No selections, all submitted nominations will be awarded
Nominations Due By: February 14th, 2025
Gamehaven Scouter of the Year
Overview: To recognize extraordinary adult leaders in packs, troops, ships, and districts who have given back to their unit more than they have received.
Who is Eligible: Any registered leader in Gamehaven Council. Repeat nominations are accepted.
Who can Nominate: Anyone can nominate someone for the Scouter of the Year
Selected By: Local District Selection Committee
Nominations Due By: February 14th, 2025
Fretwell Outstanding Educator Award
Overview: The Outstanding Educator Award — also referred to as the Fretwell Award, after Elbert Fretwell, the BSA’s second Chief Scout Executive and a former professor of education at Columbia University — is presented to teachers, educational support staff, and school administrators who instill Scouting values in their students. It recognizes a person’s work for students in his or her professional role — not for what the person does directly for Scouting.
Who is Eligible: Any educator who serves a school in Gamehaven Council
Who can Nominate: Anyone may submit a nomination
Selected By: Council Selection Committee
Nominations Due By: February 14th, 2025
William D. Boyce New Unit Organizer Award
Overview: The William D. Boyce New-Unit Organizer Award is presented to recognize volunteers who organize one or more traditional Scouting units.
Who is Eligible: Adult leaders who significantly helped in the process of starting a new unit.
Who can Nominate: Self-nominated. Nominations must be approved by the district committee.
Selected By: Approved by the district committee.
Nominations Due By: February 14th, 2025
District Award of Merit
Overview: The District Award of Merit is a council award presented by districts to Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the district level. The award is made available annually on the basis of 1 for each 25 traditional units or fraction thereof.
Who is Eligible: Adult leaders who have given significant service to their district.
Who can Nominate: Anyone can submit a nomination for the District Award of Merit
Selected By: Selected by the local district selection committee, and approved by the council selection committee.
Nominations Due By: February 14th, 2025
Veteran's Award
Overview: The veteran’s award recognizes those dedicated volunteers who have spent a number of consecutive years registered in Scouting, in 5-year increments.
Who is Eligible: All registered adult leaders
Who can Nominate: Self-nominated
Nominations Due By: March 1st, 2025
THE SILVER BEAVER
The Silver Beaver is one of, if not the, highest awards that a local council can offer its members, and is annually given to two Gamehaven Scouters of the highest pedigree.
Overview: The Silver Beaver Award was introduced in 1931 and is a council‐level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America.
Who is Eligible: Recipients of this award are registered Scouters who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council.
Who can Nominate: A registered Scouter must submit nominations for the Silver Beaver award.
Selected By: Selected by the Council Selection Committee, and approved by the National Court of Honor.
THIS FORM TAKES A WHILE! Nominations are due absolutely no later than February 14th, 2025, so start the process now.
COMMON AWARDS
- Cub Scout Leader Recognition Awards
- Den Leader Training Awards
- District Award of Merit
- Distinguished Eagle Award
- Lifesaving and Meritorious Action Award
- National Summer time Pack Award
- Religious Emblems Awards Program
- Scholarships
- Scouter’s Key Award
- Scouter’s Training Award
- Spirit of the Eagle Award
- Veteran Award
- William D Boyce-New Unit-Organizer Award
Congratulations to the following volunteers who have received recognition in 2023:
SILVER BEAVER
Glenn Leckband
Troop 82-B, Rochester
Steven Droog
Pack 350, Owatonna
DISTRICT AWARD OF MERIT
Ronda Marshall
Troop 82-G, Hiawatha District
Andy Neuvirth
Troop 80-B, Hiawatha District
Eric Reuss
Troop 355, Wakpaota District
SCOUTER OF THE YEAR
Paul Cmiel
Troop 82-B, Hiawatha
Lisa Feenstra
Troop 82-G, Hiawatha
Matt Gurtner
Troop 110, Hiawatha
Eric Goddard
Pack 110, Hiawatha
Andrew Knight
Troop 56, Hiawatha
Nate Early
Pack 32, Wakpaota District
DISTINGUISHED SCOUT
Isaac Hruska
Troop 231, Wakpaota
Bennett Thomas
Troop 32- Red Wing
VETERANS AWARD
Nancy Droog (P 350) 5 years
Andrew Knight (T 56) 5 years
Kristine Kundert (T 56) 5 years
Virginia Sears (P 498) 5 years
Matt Spitzer (T 56) 5 years
Matthew Kitzmann (P 156) 10 years
Shelly McCrady-Spitzer (T 56) 10 years
Matt Read (P 80) 20 years
Steve Droog (P 350) 35 years
Mark Keith (T 498) 50 years
Walt Borland (T 355) 65 years
Franklin Jones (Hiawatha District) 65 years
SILVER BEAVER AWARD
The Silver Beaver award is the highest award the Council can bestow upon a registered volunteer Scouter in recognition of distinguished service to the council and its youth. Nomination will not only be judged on their outstanding volunteer service at the Council level, but their overall service to youth.
The Silver Beaver Awards are presented during the Council Annual Awards Dinner each year. Nominations for the 2023 Silver Beaver Awards are due no later than June 30, 2023.
Nominations should be mailed or dropped off at:
Gamehaven Council
607 E Center St.
Rochester, MN 55904
DISTRICT AWARD OF MERIT
The District Award of Merit is a Council Award presented by districts in the same manner that the Silver Beaver is a national award presented by Councils. The award is available to Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the district level. The award is made available annually on the basis of 1 of each 25 traditional units or fraction thereof.
The District Awards of Merit are presented during the District Award dinner or the Council Annual Awards dinner each year. Nominations for the 2023 District Award of Merit are due no later than March 1,2023
Nomations should be mailed or dropped off at:
Gamehaven Council
607 E Center St
Rochester, MN 55904
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