EAGLE SCOUTS IN ACTION Eagle Scout Class of 1957

Marvin Lampton

It turns out that the qualities that make a good Eagle Scout are the same ones that make a great employee. That’s why at Lampton Welding Supply, part of the new employee “boot camp” training involves what boils down to a review of basic Boy Scout principles.

“A lot of boot camp is passing along the culture of Lampton so they can understand how important we place qualities like honesty and treating others the way you want to be treated,” said Marvin Lampton, who spent many years running the company started by his father, Marcel, in 1946. Marvin’s two sons now run the business.

Even at 80, Marvin remains part of the business and takes part in the two-day training sessions in Wichita that all new employees of Lampton Welding Supply — which has 16 stores in four states — must attend. “I tell people during their boot camp that if they don’t look forward to getting up in the morning and going to work, they need to find another job. You only live so long, you need to enjoy what you’re doing.”

Work has always been an enjoyment rather than an annoyance to Marvin, and being a Scout solidified that virtue in the young Wichita boy who belonged to Troop 596 at East Heights Methodist Church. He earned his Eagle Scout badge at age 14 — the same year he went to the notable 1957 Boy Scout Jamboree in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where then-Vice President Richard Nixon addressed the crowd.

Marvin’s Scouting career beyond the Eagle rank included joining the Order of the Arrow and Explorer Post 596. “It was a good experience. It encouraged what my parents already instilled in me in being honest and fair, treating others the way you want to be treated. It was a building process that helped develop me to do what I wanted to do,” he said. “I’m still doing what I want to do. Not everyone wants to work till they’re 80, but I do find it to be rewarding.”

Quivira Council and Morgan Stanley are proud to bring you Eagle Scouts in Action, a monthly showcase of community leaders who are banding together to make a difference in our community! If you are interested in joining Scouting or have an Eagle Scout in Action you think deserves honoring, call us at 316.264.3386.