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2023 GARDEN STATE COUNCIL BSA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Recipient: Richard “Dick” Morris Jr.

Richard C. Morris Jr. is a retired educator who resides in historic Alloway Township. He found his way into Scouting when a local Den Leader called to invite him to join his friends in Pack 260 of Daretown.

He traveled the Scouting trail in Daretown to Troop 60 and Post 160 as a youth, earning the rank of Eagle and his God and Country Award. His Scouting provided opportunities for five summers of two-week summer camp at Camp Roosevelt, a trip to the 1957 Valley Forge Jamboree, and a backpacking adventure on the trails of Philmont Scout Ranch. He also served on the Scout Corp staff at the 1964 World’s Fair.

His love for the summer camp experience had him join the Roosevelt Camp Staff in 1961 and he continued to serve on the team for 62 consecutive years. He served as counselor, area director, program director, business manager and 38 of the years as camp director. He spent several summers serving on the Salem County Girl Scout camp staff and NJ Grange camp, since both used Camp Roosevelt.

As a youth, he was inducted into the Order of the Arrow, serving as editor of the lodge paper and vice chief. During his adult years, he served as Apatukwe Lodge Advisor and was awarded the Lodge’s Silver Stag Award.

Dick credits Scouting and his close friends on camp staff as having the most influence in his life and with leading him to Glassboro State College for both his BA and MA degrees, then on to a 40-year career in teaching. He met his late wife Barbara Jean Frey when she came to Roosevelt to take pictures and do a story for her family’s newspaper: The RECORD

That meeting also provided him with the opportunity to try his hand at sports photography and writing. He joined The RECORD as a part-time staff member covering high school sports. That OA

Lodge paper role inspired the writing hobby. He contributed articles and photos to his community’s history in Alloway Remembers. He served as editor of his school district newsletter, did and does news releases for several organizations. He served several years on the Editorial Committee for the NJEA REVIEW magazine. His Scouting positions have included Scoutmaster, Commissioner, District Chair, Camping Committee, Scout Executive Selection Committee, Silver Beaver Committee, Merger Committee, Good Scout Committee, Executive Board, Vice President of Membership, and Property Committee. He served as secretary to the Camp Development Committee and Thursday Crew for many years and was honored with the Pat Hinman Award.

Outside of Scouting, he has served or is serving other areas of the community including President of the Upper Pittsgrove Education Association, Chairman of the Salem County JINS Board of Trustees, Alloway Halloween Parade Committee, Alloway Municipal Alliance, Alloway Wistarburg Ruritan Club, Alloway Methodist Church, President Alloway Board of Education, and Alloway member of the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Board Education.

Dick has been honored with the District Award, Silver Beaver, 25Year Eagle Veteran, Staff Man of the Year, Alloway Parade Marshall, Bronze Pelican Award, Municipal Volunteer of Year, Community Citizen of Year, Four Chaplains Humanitarian Award, Governors Teacher of the Year Award for UPS, Old Colony Frank Eggert Heritage Award, Norman Robinson Service Award, and New Jersey School Board 40 Year Milestone award.

Most importantly, Dick is grateful to his late wife Barbara, their daughter Kelly, and son-in-law Jason for their support and encouragement. It has been very special watching his “super fisherman” grandson, Hank Richard Helms, enjoy Scouting adventures in Pack 5. He is also grateful for those who have provided opportunities and support on the journey. He has tried to follow Theodore Roosevelt’s advice: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

Hon. John A. Casarow Jr

Cumberland County Honoree

Chloe Williams

Salem County Honoree

Lifetime Achievement Award

Richard Morris Jr.

Chloe Williams & Richard Morris Jr. for an Honor Well Deserved!

From, John A. Casarow Jr.

2023 Distinguished Citizen of the Year

Hon. John A. Casarow Jr & Chloe Williams

Past Cumberland County

Distinguished Citizen Honorees

2003 - KENNETH L. ENDER, PH.D.

2004 - PETER GALETTO

2005 - DR. EDWARD H. SALMON

2006 - JAMES M. SEABROOK

2007 - SIDNEY BRODY*

2008 - ALBERT FRALINGER JR.

2009 - ROBERT SWANSON

2010 - J. ALAN WOODRUFF

2011 - GARY SIMMERMAN

2012 - FRANK M. HANKINS JR.

2013 - PAUL J. RITTER III

Lifetime Achievement Award

Richard Morris Jr

2014 - DAVID J. HEMPLE

2015 - JEFFREY DUBOIS

2016 - KEN PUSTIZZI

2017 - WADE SJÖGREN

2018 - KENNETH W. FREITAG

2019 - GARY GALLOWAY

2020 - SAM PIPITONE JR.

2021 - CARMINE C. CATALANA IV

2022 - JOHN RUGA

*Deceased

Whitney M. Young Jr. Award Recipients

DR. GLORIA BONILLA-SANTIAGO

JOHN BRANDT

CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY

HON. RILETTA CREAM

DR. ROY J. DAWSON

MICHAEL DEVLIN

REV. TONY C. EVANS SR.

Carl & Alanna Gaskill

RHONDA LAUER

CARMEN MORALES

LEWIS L. PAYNTER

HON. MARY PREVITE

DAVE ROBERTS

OLVIN S. ROUSE JR.

HON. ALBERT B. KELLY

EDWIN FIGUEROA

HON. ANGEL FUENTES

REV. DR. LARRON JACKSON, E.DD.

RALPH PADILLA

TONY SURACE

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