Lake Minnetonka - Annual Recognition Dinner 2017 - Results and Photos

The Volunteers in our District are Priceless!

The Lake Minnetonka District held their 2017 District Dinner and Recognition event on Thursday, May 4, 2017, at the Wayzata Country Club. The weather was warm and the beautiful day only added to the theme of the evening and our priceless volunteers! Thanks to all of you that attended. It was a special evening of food, fun, friendship and fellowship as we celebrated our theme, Volunteers Make A Difference, and recognized the District attaining 2016 JTE Silver status; all while honoring our successful units, leaders, and youth in the program over the past year. We also honored past Order of the Arrow adult and youth leadership by recognizing our past Chapter Advisor, Jim Lindfors, and Chapter Chief, Alex Vaa.

In addition to recognizing our Journey to Excellence units in the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum categories (83% of our units) and our JTE Silver-level District, we noted the 110 young men in the District earned their Eagle Scout rank in 2016, and our two Eagle scholarship winners. We recognized all 49 nominees who were nominated for awards at the unit or District level. We introduced our 5 Spark Plugs, our outstanding Scouters in the Cub Scout, Boy Scout and District ranks, and we honored our District Award of Merit recipients Kevin Kertzman, Don Mack, and Allan Arntson.

Recognition was also given to our 2016 Lake Minnetonka District Silver Beavers Rob Houts and Mark LaBaw, who both received their awards at the Council Recognition Dinner in March at the Golden Valley Country Club.

We thanked outgoing Commissioner Greg Linden, and Past District Executive Ben Coder for their support of the District for many years. District Nominating Chair and Vice-Chair Mike Aase was also thanked for his years of supporting the District Dinner and Awards event.

Special thanks to our District Committee and Commissioner staff, especially District Chair Nick Pedersen, incoming District Commissioner Allan Arntson. District Community Relations Executive Jacob Stonesifer, Julie Terpstra from the Advancement Committee, and Brett Schneider from the OA for MCing the event. Thanks as well to the District Dinner Committee and Awards Selection Committee.

Congratulations to all our volunteers and youth in the District for another successful Scouting year. We celebrate with you and look forward to working with you all in the future to help achieve your goals. If you did not nominate or attend this year's event, please consider attending next year and recognizing your outstanding volunteers.

Let us know what you thought of the evening by using the CONTACT US botton below!

Units that Qualified for Journey to Excellence in 2016

• JTE Results 2016 (website)
• JTE Results 2016 (pdf)

Award Recipients 2016

District Award of Merit

• Allan Arntson
• Kevin Kertzman
• Don Mack
• Previous District Award of Merit Recipients

• Outstanding Commissioner - Cecil Colvin
• Outstanding District Committee Member - Brett Schneider
• Outstanding Cub Leader - Anthony Schuft
• Outstanding Cub Leader - Mike Wood and Brett Morrison
• Outstanding Cub Leader - Jessica Harrell
• Outstanding Cub Leader - Lee Parsons
• Outstanding Cubmaster - Brad Jans
• Outstanding Scout Leader - Lance Ness
• Outstanding Scout Leader - Janet Boschwitz
• Outstanding Scout Leader - David Basten
• Outstanding Asst Scoutmaster - Mitchell Brew
• Outstanding Scoutmaster - Dave Durenberger
• Outstanding Unit College Reserve Scouter - Peter Linden
• Outstanding Scout Family - Rajan Family
• Outstanding Scout Family - Simon Family