Area Boy Scouts celebrating years of service

The Boy Scouts of America celebrates 100 years of service during Scouting Anniversary Week, Feb. 7-13.

In celebration, local Scouts across the nation will participate in special ceremonies, exhibits and award presentations within local towns such as: Addison, Berkley, Carol Steam, DeKalb, East Dundee, Elgin, Geneva, Glendale Heights, Hanover Park, Kirkland, Lisle, Naperville, Plano, St. Charles, Sugar Grove, Villa Park, Warrenville, Wheaton, Winfield and Woodridge.

These are just some of the communities helping Scouts celebrate by bestowing proclamations on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America, offering a "Scouting: Century of Values" exhibit, and planning tree planting ceremonies with local Scout units to commemorate all that Scouting has done and will continue to do in their communities.

The Boy Scouts of America also announced that nominations for the National Hall of Leadership will close Monday, Feb. 8, across the country and at the Three Fires Council headquartered in St. Charles, serving DuPage, Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties.

The National Hall of Leadership is an opportunity for anyone to recognize outstanding leadership by a Scout, registered Scout leader or Scouting volunteer who made a significant difference in the life of another by the extraordinary service they have given and the Scouting virtues they have modeled.

"It's a wonderful way to help celebrate Scouting's anniversary by giving the citizens of the communities served by the Three Fires Council the opportunity to remember and honor these individuals who have made such a significant contribution to the lives of others and improved the quality of life for all," said Matt Ackerman, Scout executive for the Three Fires Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Nominations can be posted online through the National Hall of Leadership section of the www.Scouting.org/100years Web site. Each online nomination is submitted in the form of a story and must be 450 words or less. The nomination period closes Feb. 8, which marks the 100th anniversary of the country's largest youth-serving organization.

The Three Fires Council roster of inductees will be announced at the annual meeting in June.

The National Hall of Leadership is just one of many programs being unveiled this year as part of Scouting's 100th anniversary. Plans also include: the Alumni Reconnect, Generations Connection, Get in the Game with Geocaching, Year of Celebration patch program, Pitch for Scouting, Shining Light Across America webcast from the National Jamboree, and the largest Scout-O-Rama event, to be held at Cantigny Park May 15, in conjunction with a Camporall for 5,000 registered Scouting members at DuPage County's St. James Farm May 14-16.

The 100th anniversary Scout-O-Rama and Camporall are being sponsored by Cantigny Park, DuPage Forest Preserve District, Daily Herald, Equity Lifestyle Properties, Gander Mountain, Paul Hastings, Wide Open West, Bank of America, Cabela's, Colonial Café, Brunswick Zone, US Sportsman Alliance Foundation, Riverstone Media Group, Video Impressions, and One Step Print Solutions.

For information on the sponsorships or tbe programs, contact Nancy Loftus at Nancy.Loftus@scouting.org or visit threefirescouncil.org.