Dear Scouters,

Once again, it is time to recognize the exceptional service and contributions of the dedicated volunteers who make Scouting America Long Island possible. As Scouters, each of us knows someone who has made a meaningful impact on the lives of young people through their service to Scouting, their communities, and youth beyond our program. These volunteers give countless hours, often quietly and without seeking recognition.  It is our responsibility to make sure their dedication does not go unnoticed.

As the Council Commissioner and Chairman of the Silver Beaver Selections Committee, I encourage you to take the time to think about the Scouters you know who have gone above and beyond in their commitment of time, talent, and service to Scouting America Long Island, to youth outside of Scouting, and to their communities. Please consider nominating these exceptional volunteers for the Silver Beaver Award.

The Silver Beaver Award is the highest honor a Scouting America local council can bestow upon a volunteer. It recognizes those who have provided exceptional and noteworthy service to Scouting at the Council level, to youth outside of Scouting, and to their communities. The National Council established the Silver Beaver Award in 1931 to recognize volunteers who provide distinguished service to Scouting. Since then, more than 50,000 Scouters Nationwide have received this prestigious recognition. Each local council is authorized to bestow the Silver Beaver Award upon individuals whose exceptional contributions have made a significant and lasting impact.

We are fortunate to have an extraordinary group of volunteers who give generously of themselves to serve our youth. Many have already been honored with the Silver Beaver Award for their contributions at the Council level, and I am certain that there are many more deserving Scouters whose service should be recognized.

When considering a nomination, please remember that the Silver Beaver is about more than simply the number of years someone has been involved in Scouting. The selection process considers exceptional Council level service, community service, service to youth outside of Scouting, Scouter training, leadership, and other significant and noteworthy contributions. Please provide complete and detailed information as possible when submitting a nomination, which is essential to the Selections Committee as we carefully consider each nominee.

Recipients of the 2026 Silver Beaver Award will be honored at the Annual Fellowship & Awards Dinner on February 25, 2027, at the IBEW Hall in Hauppauge.

You can access the official 2026 Silver Beaver Award Nomination form at the link below. Nominations must be submitted by email only to Kimberly Russell at kimberly.russell@scouting.org. Nominations must be submitted using the official nomination form and be received no later than Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST.

All individuals submitting nominations will receive an email acknowledgment confirming that their nomination has been received.

Help us recognize those exceptional volunteers whose service deserves to be celebrated. Your nomination could give a deserving Scouter the recognition they have earned through years of dedicated service.

Thank you for all that you do for Scouting America, our youth, and our communities.

Yours in Scouting,

Mike Wiliams

Council Commissioner

Chairman, Silver Beaver Selections Committee