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Two Florissant Residents Given Highest Boy Scout Honors by Greater St. Louis Council
John Kavanaugh and Rance Thomas
Dedicated Scouting volunteers John Kavanaugh and Dr. Rance Thomas of Florissant, Missouri were honored by the Greater St. Louis Area Council, Boy Scouts of America with the Silver Beaver Award, the highest recognition a Boy Scout council can award to volunteers. The Silver Beaver recognizes noteworthy service that impacts the lives of youth and outstanding contributions to the Scouting program. Just 24 Silver Beaver Awards were given in 2016 from a pool of nearly 12,000 Greater St. Louis Area Council volunteers.
Kavanaugh and Thomas received the award during the Greater St. Louis Area Council’s annual recognition dinner at the St. Charles Convention Center on June 16.
An Eagle Scout, Kavanaugh has been adult volunteer for over 30 years for the Boy Scouts of America. He has been on staff for National Youth Leadership Training and served on eight Wood Badge training courses. Additionally, Kavanaugh has served the North Star District as the Eagle board chair and the advancement chair. He has taught at University of Scouting and completed Powder Horn high adventure training.
Thomas serves on the council’s religious relations committee focusing on outreach to underserved communities. As the president of North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony and Justice, he has worked to bring Scouting to all religious denominations in his community.
An ordained Elder in the Presbyterian Church USA who served as chair of many committees and moderator of the Synod of Mid-America, Dr. Thomas is active on many boards throughout the area. For his outstanding leadership, human and civil rights, and peacemaking work, he has been the recipient of numerous awards including Dr. King’s Drum Major Award, Annie Malone Children and Family Service Award, Giddings Lovejoy Peacemaking Award, and has been inducted into the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hall of fame.
A United Way agency, the Greater St. Louis Area Council provides youth with character development programs and values-based leadership training. The council, which includes St. Louis city, 26 counties in eastern Missouri and 10 counties in southern Illinois, had more than 47,000 youth and nearly 12,000 adult volunteers. For more information, visit stlbsa.org.
