The New Birth of Freedom Council is proud to share the highlights from a truly inspiring evening at the 2026 Council Recognition Reception, held on Saturday, May 2 at Camp Tuckahoe in Dillsburg, PA. This annual event is one of the most meaningful traditions in our Scouting community—a time to honor dedicated volunteers who have gone above and beyond in service to youth and Scouting values.
Recognizing Our 2026 Silver Beaver Award Recipients
We were thrilled to present the Silver Beaver Award, Scouting America’s highest honor at the council level, to five exceptional leaders who have demonstrated unwavering commitment, leadership, and service. Please join us in congratulating:
Jeff Fenstermacher– Assistant District Commissioner, Heritage Trails District
Peter Von Getzie – District Chair, Keystone Capital District
Lance Smith – Council President, New Birth of Freedom Council
Each of these recipients exemplifies the values of Scouting through their passion, perseverance, and tireless support of our youth. Click each recipient’s name to view a special video presentation from those recipients.
Celebrating District Award of Merit Recipients
In addition to the Silver Beaver recipients, the Council also proudly recognized outstanding volunteers from across our districts with the District Award of Merit—the highest honor a district can bestow upon a Scouter. Congratulations to the following honorees:
Battlefield District: • Doug Laptook and Julie Stekbeck
Conococheague District: Miles Harriger
Heritage Trails District: Kevin Myers and David Pennell
Keystone Capital District: Todd Archer, Ryan Baker, and Jason Stuter
Pioneer District: Kevin Wehnau, Bradley Milbrando, and Bernie Maher
These leaders represent the very best of local Scouting—serving youth, mentoring fellow volunteers, and ensuring that Scouting remains strong and impactful in our communities.
This year’s event featured a special guest in honor of America250; Benjamin Franklin made an appearance to give the audience some words of wisdom. Please find a button below sharing some of Benjamin Franklin’s quotes as they relate to the 12 points of the Scout Law.
We also honored those members of our local Scouting community who we lost over the last year. Please check out this year’s In Memoriam video by clicking the button below.
We thank everyone who joined us at Camp Tuckahoe for a night of gratitude, recognition, and celebration. Your continued support helps build the future of Scouting in Central Pennsylvania.
