Honoring Our 2023 Meritorious Service Star Recipients

Chandra Clark lives in Gilbert and has been involved in Scouting for 24 years (8 years in Girl Scouts as a youth and 16 years with Boy Scouts of America as a leader). Her primary Scouting role is head of B.S.A. Training for Grand Canyon Council. Chandra’s significant service to youth in Scouting includes her continued passion for providing training to both Scouts and Scouters in addition to leading a team in writing the Outdoor Ethics Guide Handbook (National).

Chandra has received the following honors; District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver, the Venturing Leadership Award (council) and the Outdoor Ethics Distinguished Service Award (National)

For Chandra, “Scouting means so much to me because I have witnessed how the programs prepare our youth for becoming engaging community members. There are so many life experiences and leadership opportunities presented through Scouting that cannot be obtained in a classroom.”

Randy Derr lives in Phoenix/Ahwatukee and has been involved in Scouting for  14 years, serving as a Scoutmaster of Troop 278 and supporting the Eagle Board of Review process in Gila River District. He has received the following honors over the years; District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver, Unit Leader Award of Merit, and the Scoutmaster Key.

Scouting is meaningful to Randy because, “It’s important that our youth enjoy, learn from, and grow from being outdoors in our amazing state of Arizona. One example I’m particularly proud of is Troop 278 going to Geronimo in 2020, the Covid lockdown year. Of all years, especially that year, our kids needed to get outside, out of their houses and away from their screens to be with their friends and to experience new things. We had an amazing time that year, as well as every year at Camp Geronimo. Troop 278 is incredibly grateful to Grand Canyon Council for putting in the work, and taking the risk to be open in 2020, while so much of our world was shut down. It’s also important to me to do what I can to help develop leadership skills in our youth as our world needs effective leaders.”

Judy Keith lives in Glendale and has been involved in Scouting for 12 years primarily as the Troop Committee Chair for Troop 4. Her service to youth in Scouting includes supervising meetings and helping to organize/plan activities and supplies needed for merit badge work. Judy says, “Scouting is meaningful to me because it provides a foundation of character development for underserved boys that aligns with the mission of ADJC (Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections). Attending meetings, earning merit badges, dedicated events such as campouts, Scouting for Food, and service projects bring smiles to boys’ faces, as these are new experiences that bring excitement and accomplishment for them.”

Joel D Larson Jr., Eagle Scout (1992), lives in El Mirage and has been involved in Scouting for 26 years. His primary Scouting role is Troop Chaplain. For Joel, his

significant service to youth in Scouting includes Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, and Assistant Cubmaster along with hosting and the emcee for the Sonoran Sunset District Pinewood Derby twice. Joel has received the Arrow of Light, Eagle Scout, Cubmaster Knot, Distinguished Unit Leader, and District Award of Merit Awards to name a few.

For Joel, “Scouting is meaningful to me because I enjoy when I ‘see the light’ come on for a Scout and they realize the reason they have been struggling and how they overcome their struggle. I have had the pleasure of helping 8 Scouts earn their Eagle Scout and it brings me joy to see them become great leaders.”

Sandy Walker lives in Glendale and has been a volunteer for the Grand Canyon Council for over 20 years. Her primary role is the Committee Chair of Pack 276 and over the years she has filled every role in Pack 276, in addition to a few roles with Troop 747, and multiple roles at the district level. Sandy started Scouting in 2003 and has received the Spark Plug Award, District Person of the Year, District Award of Merit, Scouter of the Year (twice) Scouting Hall of Fame, Cub Leader Excellence Award, six leaders knots, and is a proud “Fox”, with 3 Wood badge beads.

Sandy jokes, “I am a Scouter because it is in my DNA. My father, Jim Young, was a Scouter in GCC until the day he passed in 2008, and we buried him in his favorite Scout uniform.” Scouting has been a huge part of Sandy’s life for as long as she can remember, but what keeps her involved are the kids. She shares, “Not only did I watch both of my sons grow in leaps and bounds from Tigers through Eagle Scouts and beyond, but I get to see so many boys and girls achieve their goals… learning and doing things they never thought they could, making forever friends, supporting each other and becoming proud, respectable, citizens in our community! I just get a kick out watching a child grinning with pride over something they did. I am so blessed to play a part in all these kids’ lives. I love scouting and all that it offers today’s youth.”