The Northern Lights District Award of Merit, the most prestigious honor a district can give, will be presented to five local Boy Scout leaders who have been chosen for their noteworthy service to youth through leadership of western Monroe County Scout units. Presentation will occur at the Otetiana Council annual recognition dinner on May 19.

Honorees include Cubmaster Stu Allen of Ogden Presbyterian Church Pack 92, Unit Commissioner Curt Hamlin of Brockport, Pack Committee Chair Don Hensel of Autumn Lane Elementary School Pack 282, Cub Scout Leader Roundtable Commissioner Bruce Katz of Greece, and District Dean of Merit Badge Counselors Katherine Keller of Chili.

In addition to his Cubmaster’s role, Allen is an active member of the District Leader Training committee. Hamlin serves as Cubmaster of Brockport First Baptist Church Pack 86 and is active as a supervisor of soccer referees. Hensel also is an Assistant Scoutmaster of John Knox Presbyterian Church Troop 197, a trainer, and a Unit Commissioner. Katz has applied his Cub Scout leader training to administering program development at monthly Roundtables for district Cub Scout leaders. Keller has been Dean of Counselors for seven years, serves as an Assistant Scoutmaster of Chili Lions Club Troop 292, and is on the Cutler Reservation Campmaster staff.

Named as Boy Scout Leader of the Year was Scoutmaster David Coulter of Wesley United Methodist Church Troop 56. Bruce Katz and Don Hensel were also selected as Commissioner of the Year and Cub Scout Leader of the Year, respectively.

Unit Scouters of the Year, named by their respective packs or troops, include Michael Chefalo of Washington Irving Elementary School Pack 4, Ken Graves of Our Mother of Sorrows R.C. Church Pack 130, Barbara Pukos of Harvey Noone Post, American Legion Pack 156, Paula Natalie of St. Helen’s R.C. Church Pack 157, Kay Baker of Brockport Rotary Club Pack 228, Chris Fantauzzo of Chili Lions Club Pack 282, Jim Joyce of Brockport United Methodist Church Pack 316, Mark Dunham of Hamlin Lions Club Pack 323, Diane Kearns of Walt Disney School Parent Organization Pack 328, Janet Mahon of Lakeview Community Church Troop 18, George Selver of Ogden Presbyterian Church Troop 92, Mike Sinopoli of Brockport Rotary Club Pack 111, Marty Seiler of St. Helen’s R.C. Church Troop 157, Gary Prokop of St. Pius X R.C. Church Troop 178, Jose Lopez of John Knox Presbyterian Church Troop 197, Craig Purdy of Parish Council of St. Mark’s Church Troop 278 and James Corke, Sr. of Chili Lions Club Troop 292.

Northern Lights District serves youth in all Monroe County towns west of the Genesee and the Charlotte area of Rochester.