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I was in awe of the volunteers that rebuilt Bear Paw and built the new nature lodge at Camp Hiawatha. They weren’t alone, we had service projects as well as camp improvement projects at all our camping properties. We couldn’t run our camps without you. How thankful I am that so many talented folks have been willing to give of themselves in the service of others.

​A vaccine was invented and has reduced Covid cases. It hasn’t gone away completely, but we have shown improvement; both in the number of cases and available treatments. Today we have a 30% decrease in the number of cases from the same time a year ago. I know we will all be very thankful when Covid is nothing more than a bad memory. We will never be able to fully recover from the people that we have lost, but our prayer can be that we find a complete end to this pandemic. Will we? Time will tell. But for today I am grateful that we are making progress.

I am thankful to the volunteers that helped this Scout Executive get some staff cabins ready for use this past summer. I am so glad you came to help make sure that I didn’t mess things up too badly!

I am thankful for the volunteers that serve on our Board of Directors. They have faced some tough choices over the last year and they have made these choices in a Scout-like way. I am proud to serve with them.

I am grateful for the district volunteers that make sure our camporees, trainings, Eagle Boards, roundtables, and so much more, serve our units all over the Council.

I am thankful for my wife of 30 years and that my new puppy is starting to grow up. We celebrated our 30th anniversary yesterday. Thank you for letting me do what I do. I am so grateful for your support to the mission of the Boy Scouts of America.

Most importantly I am thankful for the many volunteers that serve our units, take our Scouts outdoors and set examples of positive role models for young people. We so desperately need young people that are willing to live their life by a code of honor like the Scout Oath and Law.

I hope each of you had the opportunity last week to think of what you are grateful for. I am grateful for so much. I hope you are as well.

Ralph Voelker
Scout Executive