Boy Scout Maui Council Issues Awards for Service

Past recipients of the Silver Beaver along with new recipients Hilton Unemori and Bonny Herbert. Front row : Ernest Okimoto, Emi Sakagawa, Hilton Unemori, Bonny Herbert, Marilyn Niwao Roberts, and Scott Neerings. Back row: Herb Yuen, Fred Wong, Brian Kakihara, Grayce Dean, Danny Hong, Mike Ito and Brian Hashiro. Courtesy photo.

By Maui Now Staff

The Maui County Council recently held its Annual Banquet and recognized key volunteers for their outstanding service to Scouting and the Community.

The organization also kicked off the year with a $25,000 donation from Alexander & Baldwin Inc. towards a capital campaign for improvements at Camp Maluhia.

Patti Domingo, Howard Takamori, Gregory Takahashi, and William Julian Sr. were recognized with the organization’s District Award of Merit for their service. The award is the highest accolade for a volunteer for service beyond their unit.

Hilton Unemori and Bonny Herbert received the coveted Sliver Beaver Award. The award is the highest accolade that the Maui County Council can bestow on a volunteer for service to the entire Maui County Boy Scout Council. This distinguished service award is bestowed to registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth by advancing the scouting program.  The honorees also are recognized for their community service, hard work, self sacrifice, dedication and many years of service. Organization leaders say “both recipients successfully demonstrated noteworthy service through exceptional character to youth in the scouting program.”

Newly Elected President Grant Chun (right) of A&B Properties presents a $25,000 donation check to Scout Executive Robert Nakagawa (left) for the Camp Maluhia Capital Campaign. Courtesy photo.

The organization’s Veteran Award was given to Ernest Okimoto for achieving 65 years of active involvement in Scouting, serving in a multitude of positions spanning the last six decades.

“The Boy Scouts commend this year’s awardees for their exceptional service to scouting and recognize their noteworthy contributions,” said Scout Executive Robert Nakagawa in a press release statement. “Thanks to dedicated individuals like Patti, Howard, Gregory, William, Hilton, Bonny and Ernest, Boy Scouts on Maui is thriving and making a positive difference to Maui’s youth.”

The Boy Scouts of America is a youth program that aims to inspire character development and values-based leadership training.

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetime by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.