The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. The Silver Beaver is an award given to those who implement the Scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service. It is given to those who do not seek it.

We are extremely proud of our 2020 Silver Beaver Award recipients. They are shining examples of Scouting service in our council!

James McKnight

Jim has been is Scouting since 1974. He was a Cub Scout in Pack 18 Weymouth, earning the Arrow of Light, a Boy Scout in Troop 19 Weymouth, achieving Eagle with a Silver Palm and getting tapped out to the Order of the Arrow achieving Brotherhood. He stayed in touch with his troop, always being there when they needed something.

Many years later, when his own son joined the ranks of Cub Scouts, he was asked to be assistant Cubmaster in Pack 35 Bridgewater and remained in that position for 6 years. When his son James went to Boy Scouts, he went right along with him sharing his passion for Scouting and knowledge; both from his years of Scouting and all the many training courses he takes along the way.

After James visited troop 19 as a Wolf Scout and saw his father’s name on their Eagle plaque, he told dad that he also wanted to be an Eagle Scout from Troop 19. After many years and positions in Troop 19 he was asked to be the 4th Scoutmaster of the troop, a position he has proudly held for 3 years. He has lead Scouts from that troop to Northern Tier and has been the assistant Scoutmaster for the National Jamboree in 2017. When the 2018 trip to Philmont was canceled due to the forest fires he was asked to help lead a backpacking trip, for those Scouts who were missing out, that would take them on many adventures through Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah.

He served as the commissioner of sub camp 4 at Mass Jam in 2018.

When he was asked to fill the role of district commissioner for the newly organized Squanto District he stepped in as a uniquely qualified candidate, having been heavily involved in both Great Ponds and Squanto Districts for many years. He cares deeply for each Scout and also for the Boy Scouts of America brand. He works hard to ensure that each Scout has a quality program to grow as a person and become the best adult that they can be, while at the same time making sure that the Boy Scouts of America is seen in the best possible light both within our ranks , and to the general public.

He volunteers at summer camp, chuckwagon, has lead the non-counselor group of volunteers at Merit Badge University and the Inaugural Thanksgiving at Squanto. He has previously sat on the activity committee to help bring new and exciting events to our district and will fill in on Eagle Scout board of reviews so every Scout that needs a board gets one. He is eager to help in any way that the council asks for his help.

He has completed Wood Badge training and uses that knowledge every day to help fellow leaders in their own programs. In 2016 he was proud to be nominated as a Vigil candidate by his peers and went through his Ordeal to obtain that honor.

He has also felt honored to be recognized both at a district level in 2017 with the District Award of Merit and at a council level with the James E. West Award in 2017 and the National Eagle Scout Association Outstanding Eagle Scout Award in 2018.

The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. The Silver Beaver is an award given to those who implement the Scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service. It is given to those who do not seek it.

We are extremely proud of our 2020 Silver Beaver Award recipients. They are shining examples of Scouting service in our council!

Paul Callahan

Paul has been involved in Scouting for close to 30 years. Joining Pack 4 in Milford as a Cub Scout, he earned his Arrow of Light and Parvuli Dei award. He crossed over into Troop 432 Milford serving in many leadership positions including senior patrol leader and junior assistant Scoutmaster. Paul earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1988. He was also an active member in Taunkacoo Lodge serving as the chair of the camp promotions committee.

After turning 18, Paul remained active for the next 8 years as an assistant Scoutmaster and held various advisor positions in the Order of the Arrow. Paul completed Wood Badge in 1993 as part of the NE1-156 course and was selected for the Vigil Honor during that same time. He served on staff for many council training courses and special events.

Paul rejoined Scouting and became assistant Cubmaster for Pack 67 in Milford when his son became a Tiger and then Cubmaster for 4 years until his son crossed into Scouts BSA. Paul led the founding and growth of Troop 314 Milford with the assistance of an amazing group of parents and Scouts and has been fortunate to serve as Scoutmaster for the past 6 years.

Paul has served in a number of direct contact and adult leadership positions across his district and council. He has served 2 years as the Camp Resolute National Youth Leadership Training course director and served as an assistant Scoutmaster for Wood Badge course N1-244-17 at Camp Resolute. He held the position of district commissioner for 3 years. Paul served as part of the Mayflower Council contingent leadership to the 2017 National Jamboree. Most recently Paul has accepted the responsibility of a council committee chairpersonship; leading the Mayflower Council’s efforts to create a new and innovative camping and activity program to be known as Resolute Base Camp.

Paul approaches every task with the servant leader mindset he learned as a youth and fosters in every youth he serves. Paul is skilled at recruiting and leading talented volunteers and has built a motivated committee to support his latest role. Paul believes in strong succession planning in Scouting and leaves every role better staffed than he found it – ensuring his efforts serve the youth of tomorrow as well as today.

Paul has been recognized for his contributions to Scouting with the William D. Boyce Award, Unit Leader Award of Merit, District Award of Merit, Commissioner Arrowhead, Distinguished Commissioner Service Award, James E. West Fellowship and the Scouter’s Training Award. Even with these recognitions, the most rewarding experience has been the opportunity to get to know and work with so many amazing Scouts. He hopes they have gotten as much out of the Scouting relationship as he has.

Paul earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Worcester State College. He is currently employed as a technical lead at Telligen headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Paul and his wife Shelli will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this year. They have two children: Jayna who is 19 years old and Steven, 17 years old and who is also an Eagle Scout. In his spare time Paul enjoys Scouting.

4th Annual Investment In Character

2021 Golf Classic

Once again we welcome as our title sponsor.

Pinehills Golf Club – Located in Plymouth, Massachusetts – just a 45 minute drive from Boston – Pinehills is spectacularly set on over 300 acres of rolling hills punctuated by dramatic, glacially carved kettles and kames. Here, you’ll find two 18-hole championship courses designed by Rees Jones and Nicklaus Design, the most extensive practice facilities in New England, and the Pinehills Golf Academy, providing quality PGA instruction. You’ll also enjoy their Clubhouse, offering gracious amenities and fine dining, as well as an array of elegant settings for special events, including golf outings, wedding receptions, and social gatherings. For more information about the club, check out www.pinehillsgolf.com

This event will sell out! We will be playing both courses at Pinehills.

Nicklaus Course: The Nicklaus Design course at Pinehills Golf Club offers a totally different and unique experience. The Nicklaus course is an exceptional course bordered by stately trees and highlighted by challenging green complexes, gently rolling fairways, and a classic variety of holes . Five sets of tees allows this golf course to play from 5,185 yards to 7,243 yards.

Jones Course: The Jones course is characterized by Rees Jones’ signature style – challenging to play, enjoyable for experts and novices alike, and respectful of the land, with built in subtleties that offer a new playing experience every time. Five sets of tees allows this golf course to play from 5,388 yards to 7,175 yards.

Hotel Accomodations:

We have reserved a block of rooms for the evening of June 7 and June 8 at the Mibeau-Pinehills under Boy Scouts Mayflower Council Eversource Event. If you would like to stay, please contact them directly at: 508-591-4920. These rooms will be held until May 6, 2021.

Registration is now open.

You may register and pay online or fill out the mail-in registration form below and mail your payment to:

Development Office
Mayflower Council, BSA
83 Cedar Street
Milford, MA  01757

These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the Mayflower Council of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. The Mayflower Council bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.

Effective March 1, 2021, Scoutbook’s leader invite process will perform a check for a BSA issued Member ID and active BSA registration when being invited to connect with the unit roster. Prior to March 1, unit leaders should check their rosters in Member Manager at my.scouting.org to ensure all adult leaders listed in Scoutbook are also registered on the official roster or otherwise with the BSA. Action should be taken now to ensure all adult leaders are registered with the BSA.

In efforts to provide a more stable and secure MyBSA environment, the BSA will be migrating an internal database server to new hardware. During the maintenance window of Saturday, February 6, 9AM EST to 2PM EST, MyBSA and applications accessed via MyBSA will be unavailable.

The following services will have disruptions during this maintenance window: Web applications hosted at the National Office, MyBSA, MyTools (Legacy), Internet Rechartering, Internet Advancement and applications that are accessed via MyBSA.

On January 27, 2021, Mr. Cornelius C. Maher celebrated his 100th Birthday in the company of some of the many Scouts he helped lead back in the 1960’s during his tenure as committee chairman with Troop 31, Newton, MA. A special Zoom meeting was set up for his Scouts, including eight Eagle Scouts, who joined in from across the country. Mr. Maher, a B-17 WWII pilot, is an Eagle Scout, Class of 1936, Vigil Member of the Order of the Arrow and a Founding Member of the Nobscot Alumni Association. A former executive with The United Fruit Company (now Chiquita Brands International), Mr. Maher enjoyed the celebration with his three Eagle Scout sons and his daughter, a former Girl Scout. During the Troop Muster, he was quick to point out that his birthday marks the start of his 101st year! Happy 100th Birthday Mr. Maher and thank you for your service!

Fire Up Your Scouts for the 2021 Virtual FREEZE OUT!

All Scout BSA units in Mayflower Council are invited to participate.

Have your patrols tune up those sleds for this year’s Freeze Out adventure. Your Scouts will hone cold weather skills, participate in a variety of races, competitions, and take home memories for a lifetime. There will not be any troop vs. troop competition this year, rather troops can compete Scout vs. Scout or patrol vs. patrol. Your choice!!

This is the first virtual Freeze Out!  Each unit can decide when, where, and how to hold your troop freeze out.  We are here to help you create a fantastic adventure for your Scouts.

Troops and Scouts will receive:

• Ribbons for each event (1st, 2nd, 3rd) these will be mailed to the troop when registration closes.
• Council support & some “suggested” outdoor winter ideas, suggestions and guidelines, these will be emailed to you.
• Special 2021 Freeze Out patch per participant will be mailed to the troop after the event.
• Additional patches can be purchased for $5.00 ea.

When:  Pick any weekend in March – troops will decide what day(s) works for them.

Location: Troops decide on a location that works for them and their group size(s). You may now schedule to hold your event at one of the Mayflower Council camps.  Tent camping is now open at Camp Resolute, Camp Squanto, and Nobscot Scout Reservation or another location of your choosing.

Cost:  $10.00 per Scout, adults are free

Proposed activities but are not limited to:

1. fire starting
2. knot knowledge
3. lashing structure build
4. bear bag
5. obstacle course
6. patrol winter emergency shelter
7. cross the creek (crates and planks)
8. panning for gold (tarp and ping pong balls)

Video contest – Troops are invited to have their Scouts take short videos of their event.  Videos will be judged and ribbons awarded for funniest video, best original event, best appearance of Scout spirit.  You will receive a link to upload your videos once registration closes.

This event is being sponsored by the Headwaters District.

Below you will find nomination forms for recognizing Scouters at the unit and district levels.  As well as nationally recognized nomination forms.

Nomination form for District Awards – due March 15

• Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Venturing crew advisor, committee chair (for any unit) and charter organization representative of the year awards
• Unsung Hero Award – someone who goes above and beyond in the district.
• “Sparkplug” – each pack, troop, or crew can recognize one of their adult leaders for going above and beyond.

Nomination for the District Award of Merit – due March 15

The District Award of Merit is a council award presented by districts in the same manner that the Silver Beaver is a national
award presented by councils. The award is available to Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the district level.

These nomination forms must be sent via email to:  Mayflower Awards

The district key 3 typically will present the awards at the annual district recognition dinner.

The District Award of Merit is presented to registered Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the district level. Nominations must be made on the national nomination form and must be received no later than March 15, 2021.

Completed nominations must be sent via email to:  Awards@mayflowerbsa.org. The awards will be presented at the District’s Recognition Dinner.