IN MEMORIAL

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Kenneth O. Smith, a long time volunteer with the Westchester-Putnam Council and a member of the Camp Read Association passed away on April 20 at the age of 91.  Ken was a registered Boy Scout for 80 continuous years, earning the rank of Eagle and receiving the honorary awards of Order of the Arrow, Silver Beaver, and numerous District service recognitions.

 When I first met Ken he was the Scoutmaster of Troop 12, Pleasantville, NY.  This meeting took place in his campsite at Waubeeka in 1981.  At the time I was the Camp Director and was on my rounds meeting the unit leaders on the first day of camp.  From that first introduction I realized Ken was a man of many words and a master of organization and details.  He ran a well organizes troop and more importantly one in which the scouts were having an awesome time at camp.  During that summer the Curtis S. Read Scout Reservation joined with fifteen other Adirondack Scout Camps to form the Adirondack Scout Camp Association.  The mission of this new organization was to promote high adventure camping for scouts in the Adirondack Mountains. Its vision was to become a Philmont of the East and Ken was to become a crucial part of this dream.  Ken accepted the position of our Council Representative to the Association and quickly became a member of its program committee.  He was very influential in developing the many high adventure treks the Association was to sponsor the following summer.  Under his guidance Camp Read became a part of these programs. Ken also joined the Westchester-Putnam Council’s Camping Committee and volunteered to be the Council’s High Adventure Coordinator.  His leadership and guidance was instrumental in developing Summit Base which became the home to the Curtis S. Read High Adventure Camp.  Due to his efforts thousands of scouts and scouters from our Council and Councils throughout the country have enjoyed awesome adventures on the trails and lakes of the Adirondack Mountains.  Ken’s dedication and hard work has made the Summit Base one of the premier Boy Scout High Adventure Camps not only in New York State but I truly believe in the United States.

 Ken Smith is, and will be, well remembered by the scouts and scouters of the Westchester-Putnam Council and the Camp Read Association for truly being an outstanding Scouter and dedicated friend.  As I walk the trails of Camp Read and listen to the whistle of the trees swaying in the gentle Adirondack breeze I know the spirit of Ken is there.

 Denis Pisanello

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Cards can be sent to June Smith—C/0 Terry and Ann Smith

                                                        133 Blenheim Road

                                                        Columbus, Ohio 43214-3229