Local Scoutmaster Patrick Thompson has received a Unit Leader Award of Merit from the Boy Scouts of America’s Atlanta Area Council for his dedicated service, responsible leadership and for providing young people an opportunity to grow.

Thompson was nominated by his Roswell Unit, Troop 1134, and affirmed by his local Scouting District, Chattahoochee. The award was signed by Robert Mazzuca, BSA Chief Scout Executive and John Gottschalk, President of the BSA and chairman of the Omaha World-Herald Company. Thompson helped found his troop and has served as scoutmaster for over a decade.

The Boy Scouts of America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared for Life.”   

Quality unit leadership is the key to a quality unit program. Statistics show that if young people stay engaged in the program for at least five years, the BSA’s influence likely will stay with them for the rest of their lives. A quality scouting experience will help keep scouts in the program, and the Boy Scouts of America created the Unit Leader Award of Merit to recognize the quality unit leaders who make that happen.