Scouts, leaders recognized at Bishop's Dinner

IC photo/Marie Mischel

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(At right) Bishop Oscar A. Solis and Father Kenneth Vialpando salute as the color guard from Troop 1966 of Blessed Sacrament Parish retires the colors after the Bishop's Dinner for Scouters and Clergy on April 22.

SANDY — The 2018 Bishop’s Dinner for Scouters and Clergy brought together Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, their parents and leaders for social time, a dinner and awards.

Bishop Oscar A. Solis gave the keynote address. Guests included Ryan Bertram, director of Community Development, Utah National Parks Council; Janet Fraiser, CEO of Girl Scouts of Utah; Tim  Fenton, president-elect of Great Salt Lake Council; Perry Frandsen, council commissioner of Great Salt Lake Council;  Nancy Reading, Diocese of Salt Lake City chairperson for Scouting; Fr. Kenneth Vialpando, chaplain to  Catholic Committee for Scouting and pastor of St. Marguerite Parish; Mark Griffin, CEO of the Great Salt Lake Council, and his wife, Janet Griffin; and David Broadbent, president emeritus of the Great Salt Lake Council, and his wife, Katherine Broadbent.

The closing prayer was given by Fr. Samuel Dinsdale, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, which hosted the event.

Scouting is “a wonderful program that we would like to continue to offer to our boys and girls in order to form future leaders in our community,” Bishop Solis said in his remarks. He added that in the Church, ministry forms servant leaders – “leaders that give their time, their energies and their talents in order to make a difference in the lives of other people and so create a better community and a better world to live in.”

The bishop thanked the parents and Scout leaders for helping to form the hearts and minds of the young people and instill Christian values in them, “values that will mold them as future leaders of the community, the nation and the world.”

“Scouting is a wonderful way in order to build bridges – bridges among men and women, among boys and girls, among people of various languages and colors, and anything that differentiates us,” the bishop said.

Prior to the keynote address, the awards were presented.

Bishop Solis accepted the Quality Diocese Award, which is given by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. This is the fourth year in a row that the Diocese of Salt Lake City has received this award, and only 150 dioceses throughout the United States received it this year, said Nancy Reading, Diocese of Salt Lake City Salt Lake chairperson for Scouting.

The Pope Paul VI National Catholic Unit Excellence Award was presented to Pack 4030 of St. Olaf Parish and to Pack 4500 of St. John the Baptist  Parish. 

“This is very rare to get; less than 10 percent of the units get this every year,” said Joe Bouley, the Diocese of Salt Lake City religious emblems coordinator, adding that this is the second time Pack 4030 has received this award.

 The National Catholic Committee on Scouting Eagle Scout Recognition and Pope Francis congratulatory letter was presented to Riley Hale of Troop 220, Bountiful. This is a new award that extends the Holy Father’s congratulations to Eagle Scouts.

The Great Salt Lake Council Unit Leader Award of Merit was presented to Tom Mudge, Cub Master of Pack 4030 of St. Olaf Parish.  The youth nominate their leader for this award.