Three leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been honored by the Boys Scouts of America for their contributions to young people.
Elders Marion D. Hanks, Vaughn J. Featherstone and Rex D. Pinegar were among those honored during the Boy Scouts' biennial National Council meeting in San Francisco.Elder Hanks is a member of the church's Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy. Elder Featherstone and Elder Pinegar are members of the First Quorum of the Seventy.
Elder Featherstone also serves as general president of the Young Men Presidency, and Elder Pinegar is one of his counselors.
Elder Hanks and Elder Featherstone are two of 18 who received the Silver Buffalo, the top award given by the Boy Scouts of America.
"The youth of America could ask for no greater advocate," the citation for Elder Hanks read.
Elder Hanks has served as an adviser to five BSA presidents. He is a member of the BSA Speakers Bureau and has served as a member of the President's Citizen Advisory Committee on Children and Youth.
Elder Hanks is a past member of the BSA national executive board and currently serves on the Scouts' national advisory council.
Elder Featherstone has served as a unit leader in Scouting and in various volunteer positions on local, area and regional Scout councils. He was elected to the national executive board in 1986 and chairs the national committee that oversees Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
Elder Featherstone and Elder Hanks have both previously been honored by the Scouts with the Silver Beaver award, for distinguished service to youths locally, and with the Silver Antelope award, for distinguished service regionally.
Elder Pinegar was honored at the biennial national council meeting with Scouting's Silver Antelope award. He has served on the BSA National Council Boy Scout Committee and National Handicapped Scouting Committee. Elder Pinegar was chairman of the National Research and Development Committee.