Backes earns Silver Beaver Award

Posted 6/16/21

Jerry Backes of Linn was one of five adult leaders in the Great Rivers Council to receive the Silver Beaver Award, a council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Backes, …

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Backes earns Silver Beaver Award

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Jerry Backes of Linn was one of five adult leaders in the Great Rivers Council to receive the Silver Beaver Award, a council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Backes, along with Todd Bennett (Eldon), Carl Mahoney (Jefferson City), Allan Moore (Columbia), and James Morton (Kirksville) was awarded the Silver Beaver Award at the Great Rivers Council, Boy Scouts of America recognition dinner and reception held on June 5 at the Capital City Production Studio in Jefferson City.
The Silver Beaver Award is the highest award that a council can present to its volunteers and is presented upon action of a Council Executive Board of one of the BSA’s local council’s or the Direct Service Council for outstanding service to youth within the Council or for outstanding longtime service to youth by a registered Scouter residing within that Council. The average tenure for Silver Beaver candidates is 10 years or longer. Career members of the Boy Scouts of America may receive this award upon concurrence of the Council Scout Executive and the Director of Operations at the National Office, BSA.
Backes has been a volunteer for the Great Rivers Council for more than 18 years. He began volunteering at the unit level. He served as Tiger Cub leader for Pack 17 in Linn from 2000-01. In 2005, he became a merit badge counselor for Troop 17 in Linn, a position he continues today.
Backes became an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 17 in 2006, where he continues to serve. Beginning in 2019, he became a merit badge counselor for the female Scouts BSA Troop 3017 and is now an Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 3017. He has also been an integral volunteer at the district and council levels. He currently serves as the Five Rivers District Commissioner, after an outstanding tenure as a unit commissioner between 2019-20. In addition to his role as district commissioner, Backes currently serves on the Five Rivers Eagle Board of Review and the Five Rivers Roundtable Planning Committee. He is also an active merit badge counselor for the Linn Merit Badge University.
Backes is a member of the Nampa-Tsi Lodge, Order of the Arrow, having been inducted in 2007. He received the Commissioner of the Year Award in 2019, and the Commissioner’s Arrowhead Honor Award, and the District Award of Merit in 2021. Backes completed Wood Badge in 2009 and has served on staff three times, in 2017, 2019, and 2020. He will serve on staff in 2022 as a photographer.
Backes is the proud father of two Eagle Scouts, Jordan (2007) and Zach (2008). Outside of Scouting, he is an active member of St. George Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus. Backes is a regular platelet donor to the American Red Cross, for which he was recognized as an outstanding donor in 2020.
Backes is a retired Substation Superintendent for Ameren. He is married to Debbie Backes, who is a longtime Scout volunteer and Silver Beaver Recipient (2014).