The Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America, is proud to have recognized Union Scouters and supporters of the Scouting movement during the George Meany Awards Dinner on Thursday, September 19. This years recipients were:
Richard Ford, UAW Local 31 | George Meany Award Recipient
Ben Schilling, IBEW Local 124 | George Meany Award Recipient
Ironworkers Local 10 | Community Labor Partner Award Recipient
RAU Construction | Community Labor Partner Award Recipient
Union Members have a strong tradition of service to the Boy Scouts of America. From taking on leadership roles at the unit level – working with Scouts as they advance in rank, taking them to campouts, mentoring and leading by example – too volunteering expertise and work experience to maintain and improve the camping facilities during the BSA Skill Trades Day; Scouting is stronger with Union support.
Thanks to Union partners’ leadership, the BSA Skilled Trades Days have resulted in over three million dollars of skilled labor since 2013. Union members have re-roofed dining halls, wired shower houses and historic buildings, trenched the ground to lay wire and fiber optic lines, installed ceiling fans and lighting, poured concrete floors, painted, and stained, and completed so many other projects.
That volunteer work totals to more than 33,000-man hours of technical experience and invaluable work that allow the BSA to maintain the nationally renowned properties while helping keep costs as low as possible for Scouts and their families.
Part of the Mission of the Heart of America Council is to facilitate programs for over 16,000 Scouts as they develop new skills, build character, and begin to understand the importance of service. Over the past five years…
123 Scouts have earned the American Labor Merit Badge
973 earned Automotive Maintenance
624 Scouts completed the Electricity Merit Badge
1,138 earned Engineering
541 Scouts learned the Plumbing Merit badge
447 began to appreciate the art of Welding, with 863 more Scouts learning Metalwork, and 281 earning the Woodwork Badge
Merit Badges are no small feat – they take time, perseverance, and hard work. These Badges can help spark an interest – sometimes it is a hobby… but, sometimes it’s a career.
The Heart of America Council is committed to partnering with our Local Labor Unions and Skilled Trades to help more Scouts explore the tremendous opportunities available to them in across all industries!
COMMUNITY LABOR
PARTNER AWARDS
IRONWORKERS LOCAL 10
The legacy of Local 10 began on March 15th, 1898, when it was granted a charter with the Iron Workers International. It remained an undesignated local until 1915 when it was given the name “Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Ironworkers and Piledrivers”. Over the years many locals came together and grew to form what is now Iron Workers Local 10 representing more than 1,000 members.
Members of the Ironworkers Local 10 have served in a variety of Scouting Leadership roles. From Scoutmasters to Cubmasters, Camp Staff members and even District and Council committee members, the Ironworkers are a part of Scouting’s successes.
Many Ironworkers have also participated in service to our council properties at our semi-annual workdays, providing expertise and skilled labor to improve and maintain camping facilities ensuring our youth have a safe and fun experience at summer camp.
And over the years the Heart of America Council has been proud to recognize individual members of Ironworkers Local 10 for their contributions to Scouting, including presenting member Lee Perry and Michael Toot with the George Meany Award for his leadership and service to the Council.
Within the community, the Ironworkers Local 10 annually support the “Working Families Friends” golf tournament and run the “Fishing for Freedom” tournament, which pairs volunteer boaters with America’s warriors.
The Heart of America Council, and the AFL-CIO, is proud to recognize Ironworkers Local 10 with the 2024 Community Labor Partner Award.
RAU Construction
Originally founded in 1870 in Solgen, Germany, the company came to the United States in 1905 to build the Muehlebach Brewery. Since then, Rau Construction has operated in Kansas City, working on projects here at home and around the region.
RAU has been operated as a family business for five generations, a strong and rich tradition in the construction industry. Scouting is also a strong family tradition for the Meyers as Stan Meyer, his two sons Gus and Dan Meyer, and grandson Jason Meyer are all Eagle Scouts and members of Troop 387 chartered at Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church.
RAU has been a strong supporter of Scouting since the 1980’s when Stan served as a member of the Council Board of Directors and the District Chairman of the Santa Fe Trail District, providing leadership to Scouters in all of Johnson County, KS.
Since 1988, RAU Construction has been the Tournament Sponsor for the Council Golf Classic where they help raise money to offset costs and expenses for our Scouting families.
Stan, Gus and Dan have all been recognized by the Council for their service to Scouting with the Silver Beaver Award, the highest volunteer recognition our Council awards. Gus has also served the Council as a member of the Properties Committee.
RAU Construction is a proud Union Contractor, having worked with Union Labor to complete construction projects and make improvements in Kansas City and beyond. RAU has also received the Associated General Contractors Building Excellence Project of the Year Award seven times, a testament to the quality of work they provide.
One of their most recent projects was completing the state-of-the-art Leadership Lab at the Theodore Naish Scout Reservation, providing a space for Scouts of all walks of life a place to learn valuable life and Scouting Skills. The Council is proud to say the Leadership Lab at Naish was 100% Union Built.
For their dedication to the Scouting community, The Heart of America Council in conjunction with the AFL-CIO is proud to present the Community Labor Partner Award to Rau Construction.
GEORGE MEANY AWARDS
Richard Ford – UAW Local 31
Scouting is woven into the fabric of Richard Fords life. He began his Scouting career as a youth in Adrian Missouri where he earned his Eagle Scout as a member of Troop 238. He continued his involvement in Scouting decades after earning his Eagle Rank, serving in various leadership roles including as Troop 238 Committee Chair. Once his son was old enough to join Cub Scouts, Richard stepped up to serve on the Pack Committee and as a Den Leader, helping blaze the trail for his son.
Richard continued down the Scouting path with his son after he joined Scouts BSA, serving as an Assistant Scout Master and participating in two High Adventures as a Leader, traveling to the Boundary Waters in 2020 and to Philmont in 2022 until his son followed in his dads’ steps and earned his Eagle Rank. After all, Scouting in Adrian is a family affair for the Fords as both Richards’ brother are also Eagle Scouts, all members from Troop 238.
Professionally, Richard works as a Production Worker in Fairfax as a member of UAW Local 31 producing the award-winning Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XT4 at the General Motors Kansas City Fairfax Assembly Plant.
Ben Schilling – IBEW Local 124
Ben Schilling is a proud Eagle Scout having earned Scouting’s highest rank in 1995 as a member of the Pony Express Council. Ben served on the full-time camp staff as a youth at Camp Gieger and is a Sachem in the Tribe of Micosay. He has been active in Scouting in the Heart of America Council for over a decade as a Unit Leader for Pack and Troop 444 after his son, Logan, joined Cub Scouts. He has served both the Pack and the Troop as a Committee Member, Cub Master, Den Leader Scoutmaster, and continues his involvement as an Assistant Scoutmaster. Logan followed in his dad’s footsteps and joined the full-time staff at Gieger, becoming a camp and Tribe of Micosay leader. Ben also serves the Council as a member of the George Meany Awards committee where he has helped re-imagine this event and how we recognize our Union Scouters.
Ben and IBEW are strong supporters of Scouting. He provides significant leadership to ensure we host a successful event at the IBEW facility, here. Ben also supports Scouting Units’ use of the facility throughout the year, including a Troop who regularly meets at their Hall.
Professionally, Ben works as a Referral Agent for IBEW 124. His son, who is also an Eagle Scout, just cemented his membership as a Union Electrician in IBEW 124, just like his dad.
(Photo credit: Brother Bo Moreno, IBEW Local 124 Business Manager, and the Heart of America Council of the Boy Scouts of America )
Tristin Amezcua-Hogan is the Editor of The Labor Beacon and a member of LIUNA Local 264. Tristin also serves as the Director of Communications for the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO and the Chair of the Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance.
Tristin grew up as the son of a UA Local 669 member in Tecumseh, KS and the great-nephew of George C. Amis, longtime leader of the United Rubberworkers (now USW Local 307) in Kansas. Growing up in rural Kansas as the child of teen parents, Tristin quickly came to appreciate the life-changing benefit of a union job.
Tristin and his partner, Rebeca Amezcua-Hogan, are residents of the Westside, Kansas City, MO's historic Mexican neighborhood. They are proud members of Kansas City's New Reform Temple.
