Local Scouting Volunteer Receives Silver Beaver Award

On March 27, 2014 eight scouting volunteers from the Suffolk County Council, Boy Scouts of America, were recognized with the Silver Beaver Award during the annual Fellowship Dinner at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook.  Locally, from the Matinecock District, James F. Leonick was one of the eight who were honored.

Established in 1931, the Silver Beaver Award is a national recognition presented for distinguished service to people within a local Boy Scouts of America Council. The recipient must be a registered adult member of the BSA. The selection of the candidates is based on volunteer efforts to scouting, involvement in community activities, and volunteer service to youth outside of scouting. The selection committee was made up of all previous Silver Beaver recipients across all districts within the Suffolk County Council.

In order to be recognized with the Silver Beaver Award, the Scouting volunteer is nominated by his peers and his record of service to the community has to include service to Scouting and Exploring, service to youth other than the scouting program, and any service and affiliation to the community in civic, religious, fraternal, political, business, and professional organizations.

James F. Leonick

Jim Leonick of East Northport has been a believer in Scouting since he was a Scout himself. He started as a Cub Scout attending Den Meetings with his best friend’s mom as the Den Mother, and then became a Webelos Scout and then was a Boy Scout in Boy Troop 80 in Farmingville, achieving the rank of Star Scout.

In 2002,  Mr. Leonick got involved as an adult scouting volunteer as the Tiger Cub Den Leader for  his son James as a member of Cub Scout Pack 238 in East Northport and has served as Den Leader, Webelos Den Leader, Assistant Cubmaster and Cubmaster.  Following his sons into Boy Scout Troop 52 in East Northport,  he became an Assistant Scoutmaster and is currently the Scoutmaster.  He has served as the Matinecock District Membership Chair and is currently a district committee member at large. He was awarded a Spark Plug Award and the Cubmaster Award with Pack 238,  is a Wood Badge  Buffalo Patrol member of  of Course NE- II-171, and earned his Wood Badge Training Beads in 2009, and was recognized with the Matinecock District Award of Merit in 2011.

In addition to his commitment to Scouting, Mr. Leonick has been heavily involved in many community organizations, including the Knights of Columbus, the East Northport Chamber of Commerce, The Foundation for Resources for the East Northport-Northport Schools and the Huntington Republican Committee.  Since 2004, he has been a member of the East Northport Rotary embracing Rotary’s motto of “Service of Above Self” by holding various club positions including serving as president for two years and Rotary District Assistant Governor for two years.  Through his community affiliations, he has worked with youth in many capacities and enjoys participating in food drives, the Salvation Army Angel program, the Christopher Scherer “ I Did The Grid” Memorial Run and the East Northport Festival.  For his Rotary service, a Paul Harris Fellowship was bestowed upon him.  In recognition of his service to the community, he was the honoree at the 2009 Taste of Long Island fundraiser.

Mr. Leonick is a partner in the law firm of Parisi & Leonick, L.L.P.,  which he co-founded in 2001.  James and his wife Lisa are involved scouting parents to Eagle Scout James, Life Scout/ Eagle Candidate Joe, and Webelos Cub Scout John Leonick.