2023 Annual OCBSA Silver Beaver Award-Eagle Scout Recognition Banquet

 

On Saturday evening, March 2^nd, OCBSA hosted its annual Silver Beaver Award & Eagle Scout Recognition Banquet at the Costa Mesa Hilton. Just over 500 adult volunteers and youth, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout in 2023, attended the event. What makes this banquet unique is that each and every one of the 2023 Eagle Scouts are sponsored by an adult so that their attendance is complimentary. For instance, Benicio Totah (Troop 660) and Lucas Vo (Troop 007) were sponsored by Charlie Osaki (pictured). Our own Mat Forester, Troop 660, Goldenwest District, was one of seven recipients of the Silver Beaver Award, the highest recognition an adult volunteer can receive by a council.

 

Matt has been the Chair of the Central Cub Scout Summer Day Camp since 2019. Currently, Matt is the Council Chair for Cub Scout Summer Day Camp, Chair for the Goldenwest District Committee, and Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 660. He is a retired veteran who served in the U.S. Army as a Calvary Scout and fought in the Gulf War. Mat has led a quarterly merit badge workshop for Citizenship in Society and has had the pleasure of signing off over 150 Scouts who completed the merit badge. With the last of his spare time, Mat volunteers for the Cypress High School Color Guard and the Musical Artists Repertory Theater. For the presentation of the award, Mat was accompanied on stage by his wife Kym, his four children, and his parents. His son, James, is a Tenderfoot in Troop 660.

 

The other Silver Beaver Award Recipients were:

• David Daniels, Valencia District
• Marty Heffernan, Jr., Portola District
• Dave Klein, Saddleback District
• Thomas LaParne, Pacifica District
• Karen Writer, Canyons District
• Stuart Lowe, OCBSA Board of Directors

 

Bill Baker, incoming Chair of the Board of Directors, and Russell Etzenhouzer, OCBSA Chief Executive, both spoke about overcoming the challenges of Scouting in recent years, as well as its future, which they feel is very bright. Our Master of Ceremony was Bob Murillo, District Commissioner for the Saddleback District, who presided over the event.

 

A special recognition was presented to Patricia Nguyen for the best Eagle Scout project in 202

 

amongst the seven OCBSA districts.