Print Issue: July 17, 2002

Scouting Awards Represent High Standards Of Achievement

By Rebecca Rakoczy, Staff Writer

Photos

ATLANTA - Scouts across the United States pledge their honor to try and do their duty to God and country. That pledge has been upheld by troops from the Archdiocese of Atlanta who received recognition for their efforts with both local and national awards during a special Mass celebrated by Archbishop John F. Donoghue. The annual Scouting Mass was held April 20 at St. John Neumann Church, Lilburn.

Among Scout troops represented were Prince of Peace Church, Buford; Transfiguration Church, Marietta; St. Ann Church, Marietta; Holy Family Church, Marietta; St. Joseph Church, Marietta; St. Catherine of Siena Church, Kennesaw; St. James the Apostle Church, McDonough; St. Stephen the Martyr Church, Lilburn; St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro; Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Atlanta; and St. John Neumann.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 87, led by Scoutmaster Jay DeGrandis, who are parishioners of Sacred Heart Church in Milledgeville, traveled the farthest to attend the Mass. The troop is part of the Central Georgia Council.

In lauding those gathered in the packed sanctuary, Archbishop Donoghue recognized the efforts of Boy and Girl Scouts, Scoutmasters and troop leaders.

"The awards that will be given today signify what you have already accomplished. But for many who are here, they are an inspiration-they represent a goal which some of you may hope to achieve," the archbishop said.

Many of the awards bestowed represented community projects completed; yet a number also were given for developing and understanding the spiritual dimension of a Scout's life.

The Bishop's Award trophy was presented to St. Philip Benizi Boy Scout Troop 909. Led by Scoutmaster Mark Cirincioni, the troop was recognized for completing at least two service projects in their community and parish and for the number of members who have earned or are actively working on their religious emblems, said Elvira McClain. McClain chairs the emblem program for the Catholic Committee on Scouting in the archdiocese.

Girl Scout Troop 6793, from IHM, led by Troop Leader Cindy Durham, was also recognized with the Bishop's Award.

The trophy is the "highest honor you can get for a troop," said Mary Ellen Yeomans, a committee member from Transfiguration Church. The troop keeps the trophy for a year before passing it on to the next winner.

Other awards with this religious dimension include the Pope Paul VI Award. Bestowed by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, this award recognizes the charter organization that improves the effectiveness of the individual unit and its adult leadership and provides each unit with a top quality program that encompasses religious, vocational and educational aspects of Scouting, said McClain. St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville, and St. James, St. John Neumann, Transfiguration, St. Ann and St. Catherine of Siena won the award this year.

The Ad Altare Dei Award was also bestowed during the ceremony. This award recognizes individual Scouts who have completed a program that encompasses all the sacraments, said McClain, and "is not to take the place of their religious education, but to enhance their religious education."

Adults were also recognized for their dedication and service to Scouting programs. Fred Feltmann from Transfiguration and David Joyce from St. Lawrence were honored with the St. George Award, a national Catholic Scouting award. The two men were nominated by their peers and recognized for dedicated work promoting religious emblem programs, Scouting retreats and service projects, and days of recollection. The award also recognized their efforts to encourage non-Catholic youth to receive their religious emblems, McClain said.

The Bronze Pelican recognizes dedicated service to promoting programs and promotion of religious emblems at a parish level. Those awarded the Bronze Pelican include Lori Parker, Transfiguration; Marla King, Prince of Peace; Bob Strong, Theresa Dean and Benny Strozier, St. Ann; Suzette Daigle, St. Catherine of Siena; Rhonda Klein and Msgr. James Fennessy, St. John Neumann; Father Frank McNamee, St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell; Larry Garcia, St. James; and Rev. Mr. William Lakin, St. Joseph Church, Athens.

Dave Heusinger was the 2002 Silver Beaver Award recipient, an award bestowed by the National Boy Scout Council.

Tommy Treat was also honored as outgoing archdiocesan committee chairman for Catholic scouting.

For information on how to earn religious emblems for Scouts, call Elvira McClain at (770) 457-0626.

Boy Scout Troop 909 from St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro, accepts the Bishop's Award trophy for outstanding community and church projects and for studying for and earning religious emblems in the past year. (Photos by Cindy Palmer/ Archdiocese of Atlanta) Members of Boy Scout Troop 87 in Milledgeville, who are parishioners of Sacred Heart Church there, traveled the farthest to attend the Scout Mass. Shown, l-r, front row, are Scouts T.J. Moats and Joshua Basilio; back row, Scoutmaster Jay DeGrandis and Scouts Chase Stellings and Kevin Rackley with Archbishop John F. Donoghue. Boy Scouts from throughout the archdiocese who received the Ad Altare Dei religious emblem are shown with Archbishop John F. Donoghue and other members of the clergy. Father Michael Kingery is Scout chaplain. Scouts and leaders from Troop 575, Prince of Peace Church, Buford, celebrate awards with Archbishop John F. Donoghue. L-r, Chris and Miles Henderson and John Cappalino received the Pope Pius XII medal. Marla King, second from right, received the Bronze Pelican.