The Diocesan Catholic Committee for Girl Scouts and Camp Fire, and the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting jointly hosted the biennial recognition for adult Scout leaders on June 7 at the Diocesan Center in Harrisburg.
The evening included a dinner, a presentation by keynote speaker Sister Jeanne Ambre, SS.C.M., General Secretary for the Sisters of Sts. Cyril and Methodius; and the presentation of emblems earned by various Scout leaders.
The Diocesan Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Award was presented to Carol Green, Maureen Lee, Emile Mattucci and Roxanne Webster. Inaugurated in 1977, the award recognizes the work of adults who have shown significant effort toward the promotion of Catholic Girl Scouting.
The National Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Medal was given to Liz Mahoney and Kerri Walton. Established in 1980 to recognize the meritorious contributions of adults who serve Catholic youth through Girl Scouts and Camp Fire, the medal affirms the work of those who help youth develop their spiritual lives within the context of these organizations.
The highest award for the National Catholic Committee for Girl Scouts and Camp Fire, the National Saint Anne Medal, was presented to Donna Kelly and Mary Noel Stenberg. The recognition was inaugurated in 1957 to honor the outstanding services of adults who contribute to the spiritual development of Catholic young people in these organizations and to further Catholic adult leadership in youth ministry through these national youth-serving organizations.
The prestigious National For God and Youth Award, given to those who have made a significant impact on youth ministry, was presented to Carolyn Pfeifer. Nominees for this national award must be recipients of the St. Anne Medal and the Region Crystal Cross of Service. Scout leaders who receive the National For God and Youth Award must continue to actively advocate for a vibrant youth ministry program at the parish, service unit, and council levels using National Religious Recognition programs, recruit other adults to serve as advisors for the programs, and continue to demonstrate and contribute to the work of the Region. They must also be actively serving young people for more than 10 years.
The Bronze Pelican Emblem was given to Doug Henschel, John Shouey, Rob Irving and Linda Lehman. A Diocesan recognition defined by the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting with the approval of the bishop, the emblem may be presented to any adult who is working in the Scouting program under Catholic auspices, to Catholics in Scout units not partnered by the Church, and to those who have made a significant contribution to scouting in the field of Catholic relationships. The emblem recognizes an outstanding contribution to the spiritual development of Catholic youth in the Scouting program.
The Saint George Emblem, a national recognition approved by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, was given to Father James Lease, Paul Schemel, Dorine Haberman, Corinne Kern, James Troebliger and Dr. Ernest Davis. The emblem is for any adult who is working in the Scout program under Catholic auspices, for Catholics in Scout units not sponsored by the Church, and for those who have made a significant contribution to scouting in the field of Catholic relationships. The emblem recognizes the recipient’s outstanding contribution to the spiritual development of Catholic youth in the program of the Boy Scouts of America.
In the Diocese of Harrisburg, Catholic Scouting falls under the scope of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. For information on Catholic Scouting, visit Catholic Scouting – Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg (hbgdiocese.org).
(Photo by Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness.)
