Dr. Larry McAfee Wins Spirit of Scouting Award

Dr. Larry McAfee Wins Spirit of Scouting Award

Dr. Larry McAfee, who we all know from McAfee Animal Hospital in Valparaiso, recently was bestowed with the Spirit of Scouting Award at the Dunes Moraine District Spirit of Scouting Dinner in late January of this year.

The Spirit of Scouting Award is given to a citizen who embodies the spirit of good scouting by giving back to the community through his or her lifetime.

“I was a boy scout and an explorer scout,” Dr. McAfee said. “Boy scouts are stereotyped, but scouting embodies good things like character, responsibility, and virtue.”

“Someone who joins and sticks with the boy scouts is going to be successful,” Dr. Larry continued. “I know lots of people who are business executives, CEOs, community leaders, and entrepreneurs, and they were all in boy scouts when they were young.”

Dr. McAfee is an avid volunteer. He’s been a campaign co-chair for the United Way of Porter County, he was President of the Porter County Tourism Board, part of the Taltree Arboretum Board of Directors, and part of the Porter County Wildlife Management Advisory Board. Dr. McAfee also founded the North Central Veterinary Emergency Center in Westville on the Purdue North Central Campus.

Retired for a little over a year, Dr. McAfee is constantly on the go. He travels with his family and can still be found at McAfee Animal Hospital a few days a week, reminding the staff of how much they miss him.

“You don't stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing," he said with a smile.

"I can't go anywhere in Valpo without meeting someone who knew Dr. Larry and had him help them. He gave back to the community his entire life. He is the example of someone who we want our scouts to gorw up to be," Erika Dutcher, Senior District Executive for the Dunes Moraine District said. "We decide who will get the award based on the Scout Oath and Law."

The Scout Oath is:
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

And the Scout Law is the embodiment of what a scout is: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Dunes Moraine is one of four districts of the Boys Scouts of America LaSalle Council. The LaSalle Council supports over 7,500 youth and 2,000 volunteer adults in Northern Indiana. It owns and oversees three camps (Wood Lake Scout Reservation in Jones Michigan, Camp Topenebee near Michigan City, Indiana, and Rice Woods in Marshall County, Indiana) where scouts can learn have fun in the outdoors.

Proceeds from the event benefitted local scouting programs.