This is Boy Scout anniversary week ‘ a good time to recognize the important contribution of scouting as a motivating force for good in our modern-day civilization. Most people recognize the values of scouting for boys and young men and women, but many have little idea of the contribution of the leaders chosen to guide the scouting program to success. Scout Week runs Feb. 5-11. Yesterday – the 8th – marked the 68th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. It was a day significant in the Utah National Parks Council which has one of the fine scouting programs in the nation. The council, headquartered in Provo, covers all of the Utah area extending south from Lehi and dips into Arizona and Nevada. It’s the third largest council, in area, in the nation, encompassing some 90,000 square miles. The council’s 26,400 Boy Scouts also qualify it as one of the big councils enrollment – wise. In some activities – including percentage of boys achieving Eagle rank – the Utah National Parks Council heads the list. Activities related to character, citizenship, and fitness form the backbone of the scouting program. It’s the unit leader who makes the scouting program effective in the lives of the young people. Boy Scout leaders – scoutmasters, cubmasters, den mothers, varsity scout coaches, explorer post advisers – are directly involved with the young people they lead. A small army of assistant leaders, unit committee members, merit badge counselors, and numerous others serving to support the unit leaders with training, activities, outdoor programs, and program helps. These, too, are important in scouting. In all, there are about 9000 volunteer scouters in the council. On this anniversary we salute all these volunteer leaders as well as the 15 members of the Utah National Parks Council professional staff. They deserve the thanks of everyone in communities of the council for the leadership and the untold number of hours of service they give for the benefit of youth. They are entitled to a sincere, snappy, well-deserved Scout salute!