Mark Moyer’s free time roles range from directing traffic to scuba diving in the Florida Keys. Mark, of Ijamsville, Md., is commercial sales director for Akron, Ohio-based GOJO Industries and also a Boy Scouts of America volunteer. Mark serves as committee chairman for his sons’ Boy Scout troop, Troop 1023 of Kemptown, Md. One could say that committee chairs help the scouts live up to their motto of “Be Prepared.”

“The role of the committee chair is to have the [supplies] ready so the scoutmaster can focus on the boys,” says Mark. “Our committee of adults provides support behind the scenes. I said I’d be committee leader for a year. That was three years ago.”

Mark got involved in scouting 10 years ago. His sons Ryan, 17, and Matt, 15, are now Life Scouts, and Ryan is a few months away from being an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts.

“My good friend John convinced me to become a Cub Scout leader, saying, ‘You’ve got to do this Mark, you have no idea how few the days are.’ He was so right,” says Mark. “I look back at the past 10 years I have shared in scouts with Ryan and Matt and see how the days have flown by.”

There are 80 scouts in Mark’s troop, and activities are led by one of the boys (with help from adults). The boys collectively decide what they want the group to do each year. Past events have included winter camping, caving, sailing, and scuba diving. Last year Matt was in charge of sailing in the Florida Keys, and this year, Ryan was in charge of a scuba diving trip in the Keys.

To participate in the trips, the boys raise a lot of the money through fundraising at the annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, held at the fairgrounds in West Friendship, Md. Troop 1023 volunteers at the festival directing people to parking spaces.

“Over the course of the weekend, we park over 30,000 cars,” says Mark. We are the ‘first face’ seen at the festival, so the boys are reminded of their responsibility to following the 12 scouting principles, starting with courteous, kind and cheerful.”

The troop doesn’t earn money for parking, but they are allowed to have a food booth at the festival, selling lamb burgers and barbeque.

“Each Boy Scout earns about $17 an hour at the festival, which goes into an account kept for them. They use the money for something related to scouting, including the trips,” says Mark.

Mark’s contributions recently were recognized with the “White Blaze” award from his troop’s Boy Scouts regional organization. However, in addition to Mark’s more visible involvement, son Ryan talked about one of his dad’s quiet contributions. Ryan says that when one of the scouts showed up without his sleeping bag at a campout, his dad gave the scout his sleeping bag. Mark ended up sleeping outdoors in 30-degree weather with just a single blanket from the car.

“I am blessed to be a scout leader. I get to meet and see some really fine young men. It’s rewarding to see how you can make a difference in one scout’s life,” says Mark.




POSTED ON: 10/27/2011