Two local scout volunteers, Julia Reina Jeffries and Brian Joseph Hockings were recently honored with the Potawatomi District Award of Merit for their outstanding service to youth.
Each spring, Three Fires Council, Scouting America recognizes the efforts of volunteers who make a difference in the lives of the youth they serve. These volunteers are nominated by fellow volunteers and recognized at an awards banquet.
•Julie Reina Jeffries was a Girl Scout as a youth and reached Cadet in her troop in St. Charles.
At 10 years old, she was able to participate and won a Pinewood Derby, entered as a family member in the cub scout event.
Her involvement in Scouting as an adult began as a Tiger Cub Adult and Lion Adult Partner, then moving into Assistant Cubmaster and Cubmaster roles when her son and daughters joined Pack 350 in Yorkville, Ill.. When her son and daughter moved into Scout troops, she became a committee member of Troop 40 and Troop 50 in Yorkville.
Julie has earned the Den Leader Training Award and Cub Scouter Training Award. She is also a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow. She has taken Cub Scout Leader Basic, Scoutmaster Specific, Hazardous Weather, Climb on Safely, Drive Safely, Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, and Paddle Craft Safety trainings. She is also trained in CPR/AED and Wilderness First Aid as well as Wood Badge training. She is set to staff Wood Badge this coming fall.
Julie has been recognized for delivering a quality program to Scout youth by serving as a Cubmaster, Troop committee member, and Nova Counselor. She has also helped put on council Cub Day Camps, and in 2023 was a unit leader to the National Jamboree with the first female unit from Three Fires Council.
Outside of Scouting, she has been a volunteer for the American Legion Auxiliary, a 4H Leader helping coordinate weekend campouts, and Sunday School VBS program leader. Her positive attitude, volunteer spirit, and love of working with youth and others truly reflect the spirit of Scouting.
•Brian Joseph Hockings wasn’t a Scout as a youth but was heavily involved in 4H in his town of Mansfield, Ill., near Champaign. He was also on the High School golf team, played the saxophone in the marching band, and enjoyed fishing with his family.
His involvement in Scouting as an adult began when his son joined Pack 345 in Sandwich, Ill.. He joined as a Tiger Cub Den Leader, later becoming a Webelos Leader. When his son moved into a Scout troop, he became an Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 5, later moving into the Scoutmaster position. He is a committee member of Venturing Crew 413.
Brian has earned the Unit Leader Award of Merit for Scoutmasters, and the Boy Scout Leaders Training Award. He is a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow.
Besides taking Cub Scout Leader basic training and Pack Committee training, he has completed Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) for Cub Scouts, Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS) for Troops, and Hazardous Weather, Climb on Safely, and Wilderness First Aid trainings. Cold Weather Leader training and Merit Badge Counselor training. He also completed Cub Scout Archery Range Officer, BB Gun Range Officer, and Wood Badge trainings. Brian is on the cook crew for the next Wood Badge training. He has helped deliver a quality program to Scout youth by serving as a Scoutmaster, Merit Badge Counselor, committee member of Venturing Crews, and New Member Coordinator for Venturing Crew 1841. As member of the district committee, he is presently the Potawatomi District Order of the Arrow chapter advisor.
Outside of Scouting, he has been a volunteer for the Lion’s Club Women of the Library, helping underprivileged youth at Christmas time with the Jeep Charity Riders, and Franklin Mall food collection for food banks. His positive attitude, volunteer spirit, and love of working with youth and others truly reflect the spirit of Scouting.
Potawatomi District is proud to present the District Award of Merit to these Scouters, and to highlight the depth of training that Scout Leaders across the country take on to offer the very best in leadership and learning opportunities for youth in America.
To learn about what’s new in Scouting and for more information on Scouting opportunities, visit online at https://threefirescouncil.org.
—Barbara Nadeau