A Message From the Director

Every reader of Boys’ Life magazine has a favorite section— “Pee Wee Harris,” perhaps, or the groaners in “Think & Grin.” For me, a highlight was always “A True Story of Scouts in Action,” which tells the vivid tales of Scouts who’ve saved lives using the skills we learned and practiced in troop meetings. I’ll bet I’m not the only Boys’ Life reader who has longed for the chance to do the same thing—and not just for the glory of appearing in the magazine.

A few years ago, Scouting magazine—the publication for BSA volunteers—got in on the action, so to speak, by adding a feature called “A True Story of Scouters in Action.” Drawn by Grant Miehm, the same illustrator Boys’ Life uses, the feature recognizes adults who have saved lives while risking their own. The very first installment, which appeared in the January/February 2015 issue, focused on Eagle Scout and Navy Capt. Edward Leo Zawislak, a hero of the 2013 Navy Yard shooting in Washington, D.C.

Most of us, of course, will never be featured in either Boys’ Life or Scouting for our acts of heroism. Unless you’re a first responder or medical professional, you have to be in the right place at the right time to get the chance to save a life.

But that’s not to say that each of us can’t make a difference. Consider, for example, Scouter Richard Gardner Williams, who was featured in the March-April 2019 issue of Scouting. Williams and a cousin saved two men from a boat fire just before the boat exploded, which was an incredible achievement. But when Williams isn’t saving boaters in

So, what’s your story? How are you using the skills you learned and practiced in Scouting to make a difference in the world? How are you being a Scout or Scouter in action?