Wayne Oberst Awarded Paul Harris Fellowship
Posted by Pat Korb
The Rotary Club of Hazleton is proud to announce that C. Wayne Oberst has been selected as the Paul Harris Recognition Award winner from the Greater Hazleton Area. Mr. Oberst and eight others selected by their respective Rotary Clubs, Rotary District 7410 (43 clubs serving 10 counties in NEPA) will be honored on Friday, April 29, 2016 at the Mohegan Sun Conference Center. Nominees will be honored for their “Service Above Self” volunteer work in their respective communities....Wayne was named “interim” Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 207 at the United Church of Christ, Conyngham Valley in 1958 when he was 21 years old. 58 years later, at age 79, Wayne is still “Scouting Strong” as demonstrated by his work as Scoutmaster. He runs a weekly 90-minute meeting with the boys, conducts a monthly parents meeting, holds a monthly meeting with the youth leaders, goes on a monthly weekend camping trip, runs a week long canoe trip to the Adirondacks and attends district meetings. In addition, he meets with scouts and their parents for individual development and conference. He also leads his troop in numerous community service projects that do not benefit scouting, but rather benefit other community needs.
“He has made an impact on hundreds of young men, teaching them outdoor skills and camping, but also character, citizenship and leadership. He has taken them on trips to camps and historical sites all across the country and has dedicated his life to scouts and the scouting program.” explains Lew Dryfoos, III a fellow Scouting volunteer who has known Oberst for 40 years and nominated him for this award.
83 boys have reached the rank of Eagle Scout under Wayne’s leadership, including two fathers each of whom had a son who also earned the Eagle Scout award from Troop 207.
Despite a fight with kidney cancer and three knee replacements, Wayne has never missed summer camp and continues to camp with the Scouts almost 30 days a year.
“I’m having too much fun to step down as Troop 207 Scoutmaster just yet. As long as the good Lord lets me do it, as long as I can still go, I will.” says Wayne with a huge smile. “I just love it.”
“He has made an impact on hundreds of young men, teaching them outdoor skills and camping, but also character, citizenship and leadership. He has taken them on trips to camps and historical sites all across the country and has dedicated his life to scouts and the scouting program.” explains Lew Dryfoos, III a fellow Scouting volunteer who has known Oberst for 40 years and nominated him for this award.
83 boys have reached the rank of Eagle Scout under Wayne’s leadership, including two fathers each of whom had a son who also earned the Eagle Scout award from Troop 207.
Despite a fight with kidney cancer and three knee replacements, Wayne has never missed summer camp and continues to camp with the Scouts almost 30 days a year.
“I’m having too much fun to step down as Troop 207 Scoutmaster just yet. As long as the good Lord lets me do it, as long as I can still go, I will.” says Wayne with a huge smile. “I just love it.”