In Scouting America, reaching the rank of Eagle remains the height of the youth scouting experience, and it can project a lifetime of excellence. 

For scout leaders and volunteers, the pinnacle is the Silver Beaver Award, and this Saturday, a lifetime scout will be honored for his 86 years in scouting. 

86 years of service to the Eagle Scouts and the community

In Lower Burrell’s Grace Community Presbyterian Church, there’s a room storing the trappings of Cub Scouting, awaiting the next meeting. The pack has a scout coordinator, and on his chest hangs an Eagle Scout medal that was pinned there 81 years ago, and it’s still proudly worn today. 

“[Since] 1944, it still feels very good and very satisfying, people recognize that award,” said 96-year-old Glenn Nordmark. 

Nordmark is humbled by the Silver Beaver Award he’ll be bestowed on Saturday, as it recognizes not only his 86 years in scouting, but his exceptional character and volunteer service beyond scouting. 

“[It’s] very special, very meaningful, one I never thought I would get,” he said. 

Glenn’s wife of 61 years, Mary Lou, has been gone for a while now, and his sons, Bruce, Craig, and Scott, are now grown men with children and grandchildren of their own. 

“[It was] a great day when I took part in my grandson getting the eagle,” Nordmark recalled. 

Yes, Glenn is 96 years old, but you won’t find him sequestered in his Hilltop home. The retired Alcoa researcher is not only an elder in the church, but a couple of times per week, he drives over to the nearby Puckety Church to deliver Meals on Wheels. For 28 years, he’s also worked with AARP to help people file their taxes. 

Why the Eagle Scouts remain so important after eight decades

Even with all of that, the scouts remain at the top of his heart. 

“Scouting is important to me,” he said. “I’m in the organization, it’s an important organization for boys and girls, too.”

In his heyday, Glenn and his late buddy Cliff earned a sash full of merit badges – 56 in total. 

He said his favorite was canoeing, and he still has the canoe in his garage. 

For Nordmark, it wasn’t just about the badges on a sash; it was the beginning of living a character-building life, a message he tries to pass on to scouts today. 

“Get outdoors, enjoy God’s world, and work together, go for the eagle,” he said. 

For Glenn, humility isn’t just a catchphrase; he continues to live a life of service, and while proud, he said he’s very humbled by the award he’ll be receiving, but don’t get it twisted: the award is not the end of his service. He said he’s going to continue on.