Boy Scouts Celebrate Anniversary In Tokyo, Japan
By Far East Council of the Boy Scouts of America


Jim Terry, assistant chief scouting executive for the Boy Scouts of America delivers the keynote address to the Far East Council during their 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts gala dinner at the New Sanno Hotel Oct. 2. Photo by Andrew Brenyo

The Far East Council (FEC) of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the establishment of the scouting movement in the United States, at the New Sanno Hotel in Tokyo, Oct. 2.

More than 150 people attended the event which included representatives from both the BSA National Office and the National Scouting Association of Japan. The majority of attendees were leaders of American scouting units throughout the Far East. This encompasses most American military bases and embassies in Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and Malaysia.

During the event, the entire FEC was recognized for achieving “Quality Council” for the third straight year. Historically, less than half of all councils achieve this annually. Individual adult council leaders were also recognized with awards.

Michael Hardebeck of Yokosuka was awarded the Silver Antelope – a regional award which was previously presented in Dallas earlier this year at the National Annual Meeting of the BSA. Three Silver Beaver Awards – for council level achievement, were awarded to Michael Brenyo, FEC president, Robin Keister, council treasurer and Justin Wentworth, FEC board member from Okinawa. Others honored during the event were Kanto Plain eagle scouts who returned to the Tokyo area after completing college studies in the United States, and recent parents of eagle scouts. Also, two longtime FEC scouting leaders Jim Farmer and Yos**tugu Kinjo from Okinawa received the Vigil honor in the Order of the Arrow-the fraternity of Scout Honor Campers.

BSA Assistant Chief Scout Executive and Chief Financial Officer Jim Terry, who was the keynote speaker at the event, spoke to the spirit of giving to other children the lessons which are instilled for a lifetime. He also spoke of the service given by scouts past and present and how that touched others lives and is reflected in the great accomplishments of American society.

The Boy Scouts of America is the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. The scouting organization is composed of 2.7 million youth members between the ages of seven through 20, 1.1 million volunteers and nearly 300 local councils throughout the United States and its territories.