Submitted photos Members of the Troop 60 Color Guard are, in front: Michael Vasko, left, and Finn Patterson. Back row, from left, are James Murray, Jay Patterson, Scout Master Nick Patterson, Kenny Day and Adam Abu Qaduorah.

POLAND — A Trumbull County attorney was the keynote speaker Tuesday morning at the 19th annual Celebration of Scouting Breakfast that is a fundraiser for the Stambaugh District, Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America, which covers Mahoning and Trumbull counties and eastern Portage County.

The event’s keynote speaker was attorney Ned Gold of Warren, who has been involved as a Scout in his youth and continued to support Scouting as an adult. His commitment to scouting spans 75 years.

“I was born and raised in Santa Fe (New Mexico),” Gold said. “We later moved to Virginia, which was very different. In Santa Fe, there are not a lot of trees.”

He spoke of how Scouting was a tight knit group and how Scouts stick up for one another.

When his Virginia troop took a trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, there was a segregation issue in the South.

He said at the time, young black Scouts had their own troops, separate from white troops. When his white group came together for the trip, there were two young black boys from a black troop who wanted to make the trip too, but they had to join in with the white troop members. All the white Scouts’ parents were questioned and all were fine with having the two black Scouts join in.

“When they got on the bus, they headed to the back and we had them switch to the front to show they were an important part of the troop,” Gold said.

He said their bus took them through Louisiana and the bus stopped at a restaurant to eat.

“The owner of the restaurant saw the two young black scouts and said he would not serve their kind,” Gold said. “We, as a troop, stood up and everyone said if they have to leave, then the whole troop will leave. And we all got up and walked out.”

Gold excelled in scouting and quickly rose through the ranks. He achieved his Eagle Scout Award at age 13. He went on to serve as a Judge Advocate in the Air Force while balancing his scouting responsibilities. He took on the role of Scoutmaster and helped organize scout units in remote areas and amongst the Eskimo youth of western Alaska. He earned the Silver Buffalo award for all his efforts, which is a national award given for outstanding service at the national level.

Locally, Gold played an instrumental role in securing the placement of the Norman Rockwell Scouting art collection at the Medici Museum of Art in Howland. It was a good example of his commitment to scouting’s rich cultural heritage.

“If you haven’t yet seen it, you should visit the Medici Museum,” Gold said. “And do it soon. Someday, the collection will be sold and could be split up and sent all over the place.”

Also speaking at the breakfast was youth guest speaker, Kenny Day from Troop 60 in Boardman. Day is a Life Scout, has earned 33 merit badges and is working toward his Eagle Scout Award. He began his Scouting Career as a Tiger Cub and earned the Arrow of Light in 2019.

On his trail to the Eagle Award, he has earned the Light of Christ, Parvuli Dei, and Ad Altare Dei Catholic, as well as the non-denominational God and Me Religious Awards. In addition, he earned the Dr. Charles H. Townes STEM Supernova award. He is an Ordeal Member in the Order of the Arrow, Marnoc Lodge; and has earned the Stambaugh Triangle Award.

Day will be a junior at the Ohio Connections Academy this fall, studying honors classes.

He keeps an active zoo at home having three dogs, six birds, two axolotls (a type of salamander) and several fish.

“I am looking at going into veterinary medicine,” he said. “I like working with animals and I think scouting has played a part in that decision and in shaping me into the young man I am today.”

Day’s dedication and work ethic impresses many, including his father, also Kenny Day and a 1997 Eagle Scout Award winner.

“My son is one of the most responsible 16-year-olds I know,” his dad said.

Day thrives in the outdoors practicing hobbies such as 4-wheeling, fishing, hunting, kayaking, gardening and sports shooting. He is also known as a rather sharp entrepreneur with a keen knack to make, buy, fix, and sell most anything, including keeping his two 3D printers working around the clock. Kenny resides in Struthers with his parents, Kenny and Nichole.

The Stambaugh District of the Great Trail Boy Scout Council serves families in Mahoning, Trumbull and eastern Portage counties, with more than 1,300 youth involved supported by more than 670 adult volunteers. Great Trail Council serves more than 6,000 scouts in Summit, Portage, Medina, Mahoning, Trumbull and Northern Wayne Counties.

Anyone interested in making a donation to Scouting, who could not attend the event, can make a check payable to Great Trail Council-BSA and sending it to: Great Trail Council-BSA, Attn: Stambaugh District FOS Breakfast, 4500 Hudson Drive, Stow, OH 44224 or online at www.gtcbsa.org/breakfast/.