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WATERVILLE — Three local scouting volunteers received the District Award of Merit, the highest award a local Scouting district can bestow upon a Scouter, at the Kennebec Valley District Annual Scout Leader Recognition Dinner held Saturday, March 25, at the Waterville Lodge of Elks. The three were selected by other Scouters for this high honor:
Jared R Bolduc of Oakland is currently the Committee Chair of Troop 454 where he has also served as an assistant scoutmaster, earned his Eagle Scout rank, is passionate about the Order of the Arrow, and served on staff at various Scouting Camporees, including Maine Jam. Most know him through his work at Camp Bomazeen in Belgrade, where he volunteers as an assistant ranger. He was nominated by Karla McAtee Talpey of Jackman and was joined at the awarding ceremony by girlfriend Blair Rueger of Waterville and his mother, Kathy Bolduc of Oakland.
Clarence”Buster” Nutting of Strong is currently a member of American Legion Post 76. He has been involved in scouting for many years. When his grandson joined Scouts, Buster jumped in to help. When the boy and his family moved to Augusta, Buster made the weekly trip from Strong to Augusta and even became Scoutmaster to ensure the program flourished. His grandsons moved in with him and his wife, and he served as Cubmaster for the Pack in Strong and helped build the trailer needed for the troop equipment. You would think that after his grandson aged out of the program Buster would slow down.
Fortunately for the Scouts in Strong and the Kennebec Valley District, this has not been the case, as he has been helpful with camporees, the Bomazeen Old Timers (the Camp Bomazeen Alumni Assocation) and Camp Bomazeen’s summer programs. He was joined by his wife Gayle for the presentation. He was nominated by Chuck Smith of Strong.
Raymond “Jim” VanAntwerp is currently assistant scoutmaster of Troop 433 in Winslow and formerly a Cub Scout leader in Pack 445. He’s taken training classes to expand his scouting knowledge and to help him improve his delivery of the programs of Scouting. He has spent the past six summers instructing youth on the safe and responsible method to handle, load, aim, fire and maintain a firearm as the Shooting Sports Director at Camp Bomazeen — always one of the most popular areas at camp. Patience and a deep desire to see youths learn to appreciate the skills involved in shooting, Jim is always ready to work with his son and every other Scout who comes to the range. He was nominated by Scoutmaster Jay Pfingst of Troop 433 and was joined by his wife Wendy for the award ceremony.
Kennebec Valley District delivers Scouting to youth in the following counties: Kennebec, Lincoln, Knox, Somerset and Franklin. The leadership of the district is Chairman Rick Denico of Vassalboro, Commissioner Charlie Ferguson of Winslow and District Director Matt Mower. Past District Award of Merit Recipient Pat Couture of Manchester led the ceremony.
CAPTION ID: Front Row: Jared R Bolduc, Clarence”Buster” Nutting, Raymond “Jim” VanAntwerp
SECOND ROW: Blair Rueger, Kathy Bolduc, Gayle Nutting, Wendy VanAntwerp
BACKGROUND: District Chair Rick Denico, Jay Pfingst, Pat couture, Chuck Smith
