YORK-ADAMS AREA COUNCIL        BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

 Activities ð 2004 Silver Beaver Honorees

2004 Silver Beaver Honorees

The York-Adams Area Council takes great pleasure in awarding the Silver Beaver Award to  William Kotchish, Patricia Lehr, Jeffrey Lobach and Tom Steckbeck for outstanding service to youth and their community.  The Silver Beaver is the highest recognition that a local Scout council may present to a volunteer.  These awards were presented on Thursday, March 17, 2005 at the Council Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner at Heritage Hills in York.

A brief biography of each of the Silver Beaver recipients is given below.

William Kotchish

As a youth, Bill participated in Boy Scouts in his hometown.  As soon as his son was old enough, Bill enrolled him in the Scouting program.  Bill then served as a volunteer in the Cub Scout Pack and later in the Boy Scout Troop.

 When his grandsons wanted to join an Explorer Post, Bill was instrumental in organizing Explorer Post 1110, chartered to Kinsley Construction, and served in the position of Explorer Post Advisor.

For several years Bill has served as Indian Steps District Advancement Chair and continues to instill pride in the Scouts and guides them toward the rank of Eagle Scout.

For his service, Bill was awarded the District Award of Merit.

A member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Dallastown, Bill has served as deacon and is presently serving as an elder.

Bill and his wife, Rose, are the parents of a son, John, who is also a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award.

Patricia Lehr

With her strong belief in the Boy Scout program, Patricia Lehr has taken on several roles in the First Capital District.  She has enthusiastically served as the Day Camp Program Director for five consecutive years, and she has most currently served as the District Training Chair for the past two years.  Pat also assists with the district roundtables and Friends of Scouting.

She has volunteered with Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop 57 chartered to Christ Lutheran Church in Manchester.

On the council level, Pat was the chair for Halloween Days for three years and has served as a staff member for Pow Wow training sessions.  Pat has just recently completed all requirements for the Wood Badge award.  She has also received the District Award of Merit.

Pat truly believes that every youth registered within the Boy Scout program deserves to have all the opportunities provided by the program and does her best to deliver them.

 Pat and her husband, Clarence, are the parents of two daughters and one son.

Jeffrey Lobach

As a Boy Scout, Jeffrey Lobach achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.  Jeff continues to exemplify the charge of Eagle Scout and to give more back to Scouting than Scouting has given to him.

Jeff is very active in the First Capital District as an Assistant Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 25, chartered to Yorkshire United Methodist Church, continuing to use his time and ability to make Scouting a memorable, rewarding, educational and character building program for youth.  Prior to his service to the Troop, Jeff volunteered as a Den Leader and a Webelos Leader in Cub Scout Pack 25.

As a Council Executive Board member, Jeff serves in the position of Vice President for Camping.  He was a member of the Steering Committee and Family Campaign Chair for the Camp Tuckahoe Capital Campaign.

Jeff is active in many other charitable and community activities serving a wide-range of individuals to include; Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Visiting Nurse Association, President of the York County Bar Foundation and is active on the Board of Directors at WellSpan Health.

A member of the First Presbyterian Church of York, Jeff is an ordained elder and has served as a Sunday School teacher.

Jeff and his wife, Lucinda, have three sons.

 Thomas Steckbeck

Thomas Steckbeck’s passion for Scouting became relevant at a young age.  As a Bobcat in the Cub Scout program in Germany, he advanced through the Scouting program, eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

Tom is very active in the council and serves on the staffs of Program Launch, Pow Wow and Halloween Days.  In addition he assisted with BALOO and Wood Badge.  On a national level, he has agreed to be on the National Jamboree staff.

He has also been extremely active in Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop 125, sponsored by the New Oxford Social and Athletic Club, currently serving as the Assistant Scoutmaster.  On the district level, he serves as the District Commissioner of the Blue and Grey District.

He is the recipient of the Cubmaster Award and his Wood Badge beads.

Tom is active in the community by assisting in various functions.  He is a member of the Conewago Valley Soccer Club and has volunteered with the New Oxford Middle School.

He is a member in good standing at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.

Tom and his wife, Julie, are the parents of two sons.