NEWS RELEASE                                                                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

( January 4, 2005 - Pittsbrgh, PA)  The Scoutreach Committee of the Greater Pittsburgh Council, Boy Scouts of America will host the 16th Annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Awards Dinner on Saturday, February 5, 2005, 6 pm at the Pittsburgh Hilton Ballroom.

The theme for the banquet is “Expanding Our Horizons.” The keynote speaker is Dr. Larry E. Davis, Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh, where he is the Donald M. Henderson Professor.

The Annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Awards Dinner recognizes the service of adult volunteers or organizations who have made outstanding contributions toward implementing Scouting opportunities for rural or low-income urban youth.

This year’s awardees are Brian Foltz and Paul Harper. Mr. Foltz is the Executive Director of Allegheny Youth Development and Scoutmaster for Troop 678 in the city’s North Side. He provides continuous support to at-risk youth and for years has used Scouting as a means to develop young men into community leaders and productive citizens.

Paul Harper is Scoutmaster for Troop 379. Although he has faced many challenges in delivering leadership to youth in the Lincoln-Lemington area of Pittsburgh, Mr. Harper has successfully developed a quality troop in this at-risk community and offers young men positive role models and an excellent Scouting program.

For the past 16 years, the Scoutreach Committee, formerly the Urban Emphasis Committee, along with local corporate and non-profit support, has been able to provide youth from urban and rural communities with an opportunity to participate in the Scouting experience. Through Scouting, young people have an opportunity to develop long-lasting relationships with mentors, become involved in positive activities and develop self-esteem. With the support of the "Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Awards" Dinner sponsors, we are able to instill in our young adults the fundamental values of Scouting through a variety of programs, thus molding future leaders in our community.

The Greater Pittsburgh Council of the Boy Scouts of America serves more than 48,000 youth each year across southwestern Pennsylvania, including Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, Washington and parts of Westmoreland and Fayette counties. The Council’s mission is to help instill values in young people by building the cornerstone of their character in ethics, morality and commitment, while preparing them for life’s challenges.