By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
The Anasazi District of the Boy Scouts of America, which has long encompassed all Scout troops in Moapa Valley, held its final meeting on Thursday evening, Jan. 30 at the Logandale Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Nearly a hundred people showed up for the dinner event to recognize the accomplishments of the district’s final year, and to present awards to notable Scouters in the community.
Effective at the end of 2019, the Church officially broke ties with the Boy Scouts organization that had been in place for more than a century. With that, Scout troops in Moapa Valley dropped from having more than a dozen active units down to just one newly-created community troop.
But Anasazi District Chairman Elwin Brown said that a lot of effort had been made over the past year to keep the Scouting program alive in Moapa Valley.
“With the Church no longer being a charter organization for Scouting, the first thing we had to do was find a new charter organization,” Brown said. “We didn’t have to look far or long. The members of the VFW Post 8336 picked it up willingly and eagerly.”
The new community troop was given the number 31 because of the number’s historic significance, explained Josh Fisher, North Field Director for the BSA Las Vegas Area Council who had travelled out from Las Vegas to attend the ceremony.
“Troop #31 was the original Scout troop in the Moapa Valley,” Fisher said. “It is also the longest running troop in the whole council. So that troop number will live on and the rich tradition will continue.”
Brown acclaimed all of the Scouts in the district who had earned the rank of Eagle Scout over the past year. He had all those in attendance at the dinner stand to be recognized. More than a dozen stood.
“Keep in mind that this is only a small portion of all that earned their Eagle this year,” Brown said. “There were actually many more than this who couldn’t be here tonight.”
Brown reflected on all of the boys from the past who had earned their Eagle award in the Anasazi District. He displayed a document listing all of the Eagle Scouts on record in the Moapa Valley. The list began with the name of one Dan Smith who had earned his Eagle in August of 1956. It then continued over many pages listing more than 600 young Eagle recipients over the years since.
Ten local adult Scout leaders were recognized with the Anasazi District Award of Merit at the dinner. These included David Muns, Steven Brown, Brandon Conk, Brian Linford, James Boren, Rosalyn Boren, Michael Leavitt, Shari Lyman, Bob Lyman and Merlin Wollenzein.
“It is a little sad that this is the last time we are doing these awards,” Brown said. “And we recognize that there are countless people, that we are not thinking about, that are also deserving of recognition. To those we would also say: thank you for all of your involvement in Scouting!”
Toward the end of the evening, there was a ceremonious moment when Brown tenderly rolled up the Troop #31 flag which was on display in the room. He then solemnly handed it to VFW Post 8336 commander Darcy Bushman in a symbolic passing of the torch.
VFW members then passed a new troop flag on to Brian Linford, the newly appointed Scoutmaster for Troop #31.
Brown noted that the new local Scouting organization would need volunteers in adult leadership positions. Over thirty youth have signed up to participate in the new Scout troop and thirteen had enrolled in the associated Cub Scout Pack, Brown said.
“With all of these youth eager to participate in Scouting, now they need leadership and mentorship,” Brown said. “They will especially need Assistant Scoutmasters, Scout Committee leadership and Merit Badge Councilors.”
Those interested in volunteering in these positions can contact the VFW/Boy Scout liaison Larry Griffiths at 702-885-2593.
Griffiths said that he truly felt the momentum building behind the new community Scouting effort. Griffiths said that he has even fielded calls from residents of Mesquite asking if their youth can join Troop #31. No community troop has yet been established in the Virgin Valley, he said.
“I told our new Scouting leaders in a recent meeting that their excitement is contagious and I have definitely caught it!” Griffiths said.
