For this Scouter it all began innocently enough 25 years ago in the deep South. At this point in her life this young lady from Kentucky had already been a Girl Scout for 6 years, competed in the AAU National Championships in Discus, moved to Alabama as a teenager, been a leader in ROTC, worked her way through 2 years of college, taken flying lessons and served her country for 4 years as an Electronics Technician in the US Navy. While in service, she met a Sailor from South Carolina that was struck by her contagious smile and positive attitude about life. After she served in Puerto Rico and left the Navy they were married and later moved to Woodruff where their first son was born. After a year of mooing with the cows in the country she moved the family to her hometown in Huntsville, Alabama and worked 3rd shift in Electrical Maintenance to put her husband through college, while he also served as Mr. Mom. Due to the birth of a brand new little brother Josh missed Tiger Cubs but she quickly registered him at the local school the following year. When she also signed up as his Den Leader the 25 year ride began. She was a natural at it all. A lot of you know the drill; Fall Recruiting, Den Meetings, Pack Meetings, Rain Gutter Regatta, Fall Camporees, Rocket Launches, Fall Festival, Scouting for Food, Toys for Tots, Christmas Parade, Christmas Party, Pinewood Derby, Merit Badge College, Scout Sunday, Blue & Gold Banquet, Spring Camporees, Aquatics Camporee, Scout Shows, Summer Camp, Webelos Resident Camp, 3 Summertime Events just to name a few and then………RESET for the next year! She also volunteered for 9 years as a Counselor, Advocate and Fund Raiser for Hope Place, a domestic violence shelter in Huntsville. In 1995 they moved the family back to Woodruff, found a little Church named Emma Gray and joined Pack 21 of the Piedmont District of Palmetto Council. There she has served as Lion Leader, Tiger Coach, Den Leader, Assistant Cubmaster, Cubmaster, Committee Member, Committee Chair, Chartered Organization Representative and Assistant Scoutmaster. She simply filled in wherever she was needed. She has unofficially served as Head Supervisor, Chief Motivator, Craft Guru, Leader of all Scout Cheers and Master of the Corny Joke. At Emma Gray she has served as a Children’s Sunday School Teacher for 19 years, taught many years of Vacation Bible School, ran pickup routes in the Church Van and served as a Trustee. She has 20 years as a Team Mom in Soccer, was the first female Member of the American Legion Post in Woodruff and has served for 5 years as the United Way Chairperson at her present employer Kohler. Somehow in a parallel universe she managed to serve Scouting as Merit Badge Counselor, Pack Trainer, Summer Camp Director, District Committee Member, Unit Commissioner, Roundtable Commissioner and District Commissioner for 8 years. As a key member of the Trainer Development Staff for 19 years she has taken almost every course available including Wood Badge, Commissioner’s College and a Training trip to Philmont in 1996. She has taught countless Leader Courses at all levels including University of Scouting. She also taught Electricity, Electronics, Citizenship and others at MBC for 15 plus years. She has earned knots for Tiger Cub Den Leader, Webelos Den Leader, Den Leader Coach, Cub Scouter, Cubmaster, Scouters Key, the Religious Award and the District Award of Merit. A few years ago she went back to USC Upstate and completed her Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with near straight A’s while her sons were also attending. Of course she fit right in and was often the life of the Campus! She is employed at Kohler as the Maintenance Supervisor where she understandably keeps a large group of rough around the edges Maintenance Men in total check. She continues to hang out, bike, kayak and even take a Polar Plunge on New Year’s with her boys. She even found time this year to knock out a Bucket List item when she voluntarily parachuted from a perfectly good airplane. Her proudest accomplishment through it all is the many young men she has helped on the trail to Eagle. Please join me and 2 of those Eagle Scouts, sons Joshua and Jarod, in congratulating this recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. Please give a round of applause and a big Roll Tide!!! for Scouter Cheryl Phillips.