The Middle Tennessee Council of Scouting America will honor Tennessee Tech President Philip Oldham with its Good Scout award for his work within the Upper Cumberland.
It’s part of the Friends of Scouting Award event. Keegan Maguffee is the Caney Fork District Executive with the Middle Tennessee Council of Scouting America. Maguffee said the event aims at growing community and youth engagement.
“It recognizes individuals who help with the young adults and the youth in our community,” Maguffee said. “And we fully believe that Dr. Oldham is very deserving of this award just with what he does with Tennessee Tech and in the community.”
Maguffee said Oldham has been instrumental in his support in creating space for the Boy Scouts to be successful in the Upper Cumberland.
“Just someone that shows the spirit of the scout oath and scout law of helping others, and just doing their best at all times,” Maguffee said. “Being able to live for the community and for these young individuals that they want to have this opportunity and just making that difference out in the world.”
Maguffee said scouting still plays a significant role across the Upper Cumberland and the program is still very popular across the eight-county district. As a year-round affair, scouting offers outdoor recreational activities unavailable through most traditional athletic programs, while honing in leadership skills and emphasizing the value of service and citizenship.
“They’re able to go outside and be with their friends and their family,” Maguffee said. “And they can go camping, swimming, fishing, any of those fun outdoor activities that they can’t do with these other extracurricular activities.”
The Caney Fork District has 500 scouts that meet weekly, 200 registered adults and over 20 Cub Scout packs and troops across the UC. Last year, the Middle TN council administrated training for over 10,000 kids on leadership and service, according to Maguffee.
“Just with scouting in general, being able to be with that structured organization that helps them hone and develop their skills is super important,” Maguffee said.
