ESCANABA — The Hiawathaland District of the Michigan Crossroads Council of Scouting America recently had its annual recognition dinner at Bay College to honor outstanding leaders for exemplary service and organizations for their vital support.

The Cubmaster of the Year is Rich Henrion, who leads Cub Scout Pack 3510 of Iron Mountain/Kingsford. It has been the largest Pack by far in the Upper Peninsula for many years. Henrion has been an instrumental leader for all of those years. During COVID he took on the role of Cubmaster.

The Pack program has been phenomenal under his leadership. They have participated in Memorial Day parades and ceremonies, Veterans Day ceremonies, summer camp, winter camp, corn mazes and so much more. He has delegated the den meetings to a trusted group of Den Leaders who provide fun and engaging meetings and activities. His leadership created a very efficient way to get 75 to 90 cars through a Pinewood Derby Race.

The Distinguished Commissioner Service Award was presented to Elrico Hurley. He has been in a commissioner role since 1999. He has served as a unit commissioner, assistant district Commissioner and Assistant Council commissioner for the Michigan Crossroads Council prior to moving to the U.P. where he has served as an assistant district commissioner and Assistant Council Commissioner of Roundtable. He has completed commissioner training and has also trained other scouting volunteers at Commissioner Colleges across the Midwest since 2013.

Throughout his 35 years of Scouting service, Hurley has recruited and mentored many unit commissioners and district commissioners strengthening the commissioner team. As Assistant District Commissioner of Roundtable, monthly attendance has increased tremendously. He serves on the National Religious Relationships Committee and is the National Vice President of the Association for Baptists for Scouting. He has earned the District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver, National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award, and the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award.

The Silver Beaver Award was presented to District Commissioner Elizabeth Paling by John Savage, the Michigan Crossroads Council vice president for District Operations. The Silver Beaver is awarded by the National Council of Scouting America to persons who have given continued, unselfish and effective service to the community, usually through the program of the Scouting America.

Paling participated in Girl Scouts in the 1970s, and then later in the BSA Explorer program in the early 1980s. After high school, she joined the U.S. Army and was trained as a combat medic. After she was honorably discharged from the Army, she became the first female volunteer firefighter for her township and worked as an EMT-S while she put herself through nursing school at Oakland University.

Beth has been married 31 years to Steve Paling and they have four adult children, three of which were involved in scouting. One achieved Eagle and one achieved the Venturing Silver Award. She became a den leader in the Bluewater Council.

She started a Venture Crew for her daughter and friends. She staffed several National Youth Leadership Training courses, including being a course director twice. She attended Wood Badge Course and served as a troop. She has received the Crew Advisor of Merit Award, the Den Leader Award, the New Unit Award and the Council Venturing Leadership Award. She has staffed the National Youth Leadership Training Leadership Academy for several years.

In 2018, she started working for the Veterans Health Administration and moved to Iron Mountain, where she is a nurse practitioner. Since the move she has remained active in scouting by serving on the Hiawathaland District Committee and as the Bay-Lakes Council Training Chair. Paling is the district commissioner.

More information about the programs of the Scouts in the area can be found at https://michiganscouting.