By Anna Skinner
The 12th annual Breakfast for Scouting fundraiser was held at the Bridgewater Club March 22. The crowd heard stories from Cub Scout Corey Wilhelm of Pack 129, Eagle Scout Mack Bentivoglio of Troop 152, Scout Executive Patrick Sterrett, Breakfast Chairman Pete Emigh and Mayor Andy Cook. The efforts raised $41,510.
Wilhelm, a third-grader, told the attendees one of his favorite aspects of Scouting was the Pinewood Derby.
“I think it’s fun to race it down the track,” he said.
Bentivoglio coached the attendees through tying a square knot and then shared a story from his first year at summer camp and what he learned through the completion of his Eagle Scout project.
“With my Eagle project, I learned a lot,” he said. “It’s about giving back to the community because the community offered you Scouts, so it’s your thanks to them.”
Cook took the stage after the Scouts and read the 12 words describing Scouts: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
“You think about how relevant those virtues are in today’s world, and really, in all of this, it seems we’ve lost injecting a lot of those virtues in our young ones,” Cook said. “The means to do that are just so very presented by our Scouting program.
“Those things are nothing more or less than the key to happiness which is what everyone is after in these United States.”
Cook voiced disappointment in how today’s youth is constantly involved in technology and how Scouting counters that.
“That part bothers me, and I just see where Scouting can and will fill this void that is so basic to the progression of everything in our government, our country, our businesses,” he said. “I’m so thrilled here in Westfield for our Scouting.”
After the breakfast, the mayor was presented with a walking stick.
There are approximately 33,000 youth in Central Indiana involved in scouting. For more, visit scouting.org.
Scouting By the Numbers
- 5 Cub Scout Packs
- 2 Boy Scout Troops
- 334 Cub Scouts
- 125 Boy Scouts
