Congratulations to the 2024 Silver Beaver Award Honorees
2024 Silver Beaver Award Honorees
The Jayhawk Council Awards Committee is pleased to announce the honorees for the Silver Beaver Awards. Please join us at the Council Recognition Banquet for the presentation of the awards on February 8, 2025, at Washburn University’s Alumni Center.
First, the Jayhawk Area Council would like to thank the Silver Beaver Selection Committee for their time and dedication to selecting the two best Nominations to receive the Silver Beaver Award. The Council is allowed to select two individuals each year, based on our size of Council, for this prestigious Award. The Silver Beaver Award recognizes the time, dedication, and commitment a Scouter has made as an adult to provide leadership and support at the Unit, District, and Council levels. These recipients represent the “best of the best” in providing the best Scouting experience for our Youth.
Silver Beaver Award goes to….
Joe Pilsl –
Joe has been an active unit leader for 15 years and currently serves as Scoutmaster of Troop 180 in Marysville, KS. In addition, he has also served as OA Chapter Advisor for 4 years, a Vigil Honor and Founder’s Award recipient of the DZIE-HAUK TONGA Lodge. Outside of Scouting, Joe has served his community as Assistant Fire Chief for 13 years providing cheerful service to his community.
He earned his Eagle Award in October of 1988 and has been active at the District level assisting in numerous roles and leading numerous Camporees for Oregon Trail, Sunflower and Pony Express Districts. Joe embodies the Scouting program in all he does.
Joe received the District Award of Merit in 2015, was an Order of the Arrow Vigil Honor Member in April of 2021, and is our first recipient of the 2024 Silver Beaver Award.
Carl Richardson –
Carl has been an active member of Scouting dating back to his time as a young Scout in the early 1960’s. He became an Order of the Arrow member in June of 1969 and continues to stay active in Scouting today in a variety of roles including as Charter Organization Representative of Unit 157 in the Sojadi District.
Carl began his volunteerism in Scouting as Cubmaster back in 1989 serving six years in this role before becoming Asst. Scoutmaster. After serving in both of these roles, he decided to serve as both a Unit Commissioner as well as a District Committee member.
Carl was an Order of the Arrow Vigil Honor Member in April of 2001, received the District Award of Merit in 2003 and is our second recipient of the 2024 Silver Beaver Award.
2024 Eagle Class Honoree
Timothy O’Shea –
Tim’s involvement in Scouting dates back to the 1970’s when he began as a Cub Scout. He earned his Eagle Scout Award in April of 1976 and then decided he had an hour a week to give back to Scouting as an Adult. In 1998, he became Cubmaster of Pack 3009 and joined the Troop as a Committee Member the next year.
In 2001, he became Bison District Chair and served in this capacity until 2004. He became Council Commissioner in 2005 and has held numerous positions on the Council Executive Board since then including Council Treasurer, Council Vice President and currently serves as Council President.
Tim received the District Award of Merit in 1997, the Silver Beaver Award in 2000 and is truly deserving of this recognition as our 2024 Eagle Class Honoree. Tim and his wife Deborah are both retired. We thank them both for their numerous contributions to youth here in the Topeka area as well as their dedication and service to Scouting across the Jayhawk Area Council.
Join us on February 8th, 2025 to celebrate these Honoree’s and the 2024 Eagle Scout Class!
Jayhawk eBugler – January 2025
Jayhawk eBugler – November 2024
Jayhawk eBugler – October 2024
2024 Class of Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40
Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40 Selection Committee Members have been diligently working this summer on reviewing the applications that were submitted for Topeka’s Top “20 Under 40” Class of 2024. Last week, the list of applicants was narrowed to the 20 to be honored this year. Each year brings an impressive number of quality applicants, and committee members always remark how challenging it is to narrow the list to just 20. There are many great things going on in Topeka and the story of each applicant is part of that narrative.
On behalf of the 20 Under 40 Steering and Selection Committee, I am pleased to announce the 2024 Class of Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40.
Kaitlin Alegria – Director of Development, Kansas Children’s Discovery Center
Joe Beasley – Trust Officer, BOK Financial
Joshua Beshears – Repairs Manager, Topeka Habitat for Humanity
John Cantrell -Partner, Topeka Auto Glass, Topeka Tint Company and Iron Man Promotions
Pedro Concepcion – Chief Operating Officer, The Wheel Barrel LLC and recently selected CEO of NOTO Arts & Entertainment District
Lauren Edelman – Director of the Aleshire Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, Washburn University
Emersen Frazier – Director of Health Equity and Policy, Stormont Vail Health
Kristin Hammer – Community Engagement Coordinator, YWCA Northeast Kansas
Bonnie “Bekah” Henderson – Barista, Dialogue Coffee House
Thaina Dos Santos Jensen – Acute Care Registered Nurse, Stormont Vail Health
Randi Johnson – Special Agent, Kansas Bureau of Investigation
Marisol Marcelo – Director of Marketing/Public Relations/Preplanning Specialist, Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home
Abriona Markham – Executive Director/Doula, Topeka Doula Project
Blake Porter – Corporate Counsel, Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka
Jill Rice – Director of Ministries, Fellowship Hi-Crest
Kayla Schadegg – New Parent & Medical Outreach Specialist, Down Syndrome Innovations
Kristen Shook – Programs Manager of Work for Success, Mirror. Inc.
Christopher Stemler – Owner, Trident Partnerships
Gabrielle Tanner – Principal, Topeka Public Schools – Sheldon Head Start Child Development Center & Pine Ridge Prep Preschool
Pete Ziegler – Owner, Ziegler Family Dentistry
If you haven’t seen the announcements posted yesterday that include a photo and bio of each Honoree, each individual is posted on Facebook. We hope you will join us in celebrating these young leaders and influencers on November 14, 2024 at the Maner Conference Center – Sunflower Ballroom. Reception begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner and program to follow at 6:30 p.m.
To make a donation in their honor, purchase a ticket to the event or to become a sponsor visit https://jayhawkcouncil.org/20under40/. Topeka’s 20 Under 40 is a signature fundraising event benefiting the Jayhawk Area Council Boy Scouts of America.
