Area scouts showed their colors and displayed true Boy Scout pride last night for the "BoyPower Distinguished Citizens" dinner at Genesee Community College.
These young men and their leaders are members of Iroquois Council Trail, Inc., the Boy Scouts of America council serving Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Livingston and Niagara counties. Every year, they honor one outstanding community member from each county.
Betty Lapp was the 2012 Distinguished Citizen for Genesee County. Lapp is the former director of GCC's Nursing program. She retired in 2005, and has been a "professional volunteer" ever since.
Originally from Ohio, Lapp has an impressive track record as a Geneseean:
- Board Chairperson of United Memorial Medical Center
- Board Chairperson of Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (formerly BOCES)
- Regional Action Phone
- Family Counseling Services
- Parent Teacher Association
- Cub Scouts
- Genesee County Department of Health
- Genesee County Mental Health Services
Her service to the wider region includes membership in the following organizations:
- Lake Plains Community Care Network
- WNY Rural Area Health Education Center
- Genesee Valley School Boards Association
Other recipients were:
James Culbertson, Livingston County
David Bellavia, Orleans County (Bellavia currently lives in Batavia, but is originally from Lyndonville)
MORE after the jump (click on the headline to read more):
Mitchell McLaughlin, Wyoming County
Ken Kaufman and Michelle Farina, Niagara County
According to Roger Triftshauser, DDS, BoyPower Dinner chairman and master of ceremonies, these are people who have "gone over and above in service of the common good."
Click here for a list of past recipients.
The featured guest speaker was Vice Admiral Dirk J. Debbink, chief of the Navy Reserve. He spoke of his days as a Boy Scout and of what the Scouts taught him about preparedness, leadership, teamwork, self-reliance, and the "power of an oath."
Triftshauser announced that he would be paying for two Boy Scouts to attend this year's summer camp in honor of Debbink. He chose to do this in lieu of giving Debbink a personal gift, for which he knew he would receive a check in return.
Additional photos:
Scout Executive James McMullan
Photo courtesy of Kevin Carlson
Silent auction items:
