Angela Rico Pack 162/47 - BSA Silver Beaver 2010

& Citizenship in the Community Award From 49th Pct.

          Angela was introduced to scouting in 1998 through Pack/Troop 162/47 at Our Lady of Solace and St. Francis Xavier Schools in the Morris Park section of the Bronx. She served as book keeper/treasurer for the Pack/Troop before becoming Den Leader in 2000. She loves children, who she refers to as her “Little People”, and eagerly embraced this new endeavor, in addition to the volunteer work she was already doing for the children of the Pelham Parkway Little League and Our Lady of Solace School. 

          For the PPLL, Angela served as baseball and soccer coach, and has been a PPLL Board member since 1989. Angela passed PPLL legislation that ensured all PPLL Tee-ball players would get equal opportunity to play at desired positions on the field, guaranteeing development of all players, regardless of their entry level skills. Angela’s dedication to coaching her players was unparalleled. As I recall, she was once asked to stop coaching, and go have her newly expected baby in a hospital, like normal people, instead of on the ball field, as it appeared she was about to do. She also worked hard for her “Little People” at Our Lady of Solace School, volunteering as an Executive Council member for 8 years, and serving as President of the Council for two. Angela left no stone unturned, making certain that the best interests of all her “Little People” were well represented in all the organizations wise and lucky enough to entrust their children to her guidance. 

          As Pack 162/47’s Den Leader, week after week for the past 10 years, Angela’s Den Meetings both interest and fascinate her Tigers, Wolves, and Bears. In some meetings, they’ve enjoyed eating ice cream, which they have learned to make all by themselves. In other meetings, they’ve made volcanoes, generated electricity, performed skits, and displayed their personal collections, which have included coins, cards, match-box cars, and more. They’ve learned astronomy, and have visited the Hudson River Museum/Planetarium on several occasions. They’ve practiced fishing, and in 2004 Angela organized the Packs’ Annual Fishing Derby, held every spring at Van Cortlandt Park Lake. Her cubs have proudly represented BSA in many Morris Park Community Columbus Day Parades. Their displays of enthusiasm and obvious fun have captured the attention of many on-lookers, and have spawned new members to BSA. 

       Working with the 49th Precinct’s Community Board President Joseph A. Thompson, Angela’s cubs have taken part in the 49th precinct’s last three Annual Holiday Season Food Drives. Despite her uncanny ability to choose the coldest day of the year in each of the past three drives, her cubs have collected over 5 tons of food, more in each of those years than the three other collecting organizations combined. It was reported to us that our food deliveries to local pantries here in the Bronx, have on more than one occasion, come just in time to prevent the pantries from running out of food and being forced to close. Those in need were not turned away hungry during those holidays as a direct result of the dogged efforts of Pack 162/47. Her cubs have experienced the reality that it can be just as rewarding to give as it is to receive, a true virtue being passed down by Angela to her “Little People”. 

       Angela has been a steadfast representative of Pack 162/47 at the Bronx River District Round Table Meetings, where her intuition, insight and sometimes constructive criticism lend the meetings purpose and direction. She is always attentive, and alertly fills in the gaps and ties loose ends where she feels important points might have been missed or left unclear. Angela has completed several Cub Scout Leader Training classes. She has effectively combined what she has learned at those sessions with her experiences with her own “Little People” to be an enthusiastic and accomplished Trainer of new Cub Scout Leaders to the Bronx River District.  

       In effort to accustom her “Little People” to the outdoors, and enable a successful transition from the Pack to the Troop, Angela has organized “Pack 162/47 Cub Week” at BSA’s - Family Camp at Ten Mile River. Located on Lake Nianque, Family Camp is on the opposite side of the lake from Camp Ranachqua, and is only a few miles from Camp Keowa, where Troop 162 spends a week or two every summer. In two years, Angela’s BSA Family Camp promotions have resulted in the Pack renting over 40 Family Camp cabins. Serving as a perfect stepping stone, Family Camp week has paved the way for her youngsters’ smooth transition from the comforts of city life to rugged tent dwelling at Camp Keowa. During our Family Camp stays, Angela has coordinated activities that have included a variety of exciting adventures. There were War Canoe rides from Indian Village on Crystal Lake to the shores of Camp Keowa. The pack lunched with the Troops in the Dining Hall, and got a true taste (no pun intended) of a stay at Camp Keowa. They’ve enjoyed critter hunts, hikes, canoe rides down the Delaware River, swimming, fishing, high and low cope, and more. 

        In 2008, with the passing of one of Pack 162/47’s beloved cofounders, and wife of Coordinator Artie Behrendt, Angela proposed changing the Packs’ nickname from the Red-Tailed Hawks to the Carol-Anne Behrendt Red-Tailed Hawks. Carol will forever be remembered, and will always be honored by the proudly displayed emblem on the Packs’ Class-B Tee-Shirts. 

          As a recipient of BSA’s prestigious Silver Beaver Award, Angela is receiving earned recognition, not just for herself, but as a true representative of all those volunteers doing week-in and week-out work in the trenches (that is one hour per week) that so often goes somewhat unnoticed and unrecognized, but to true lovers of children, never goes unrewarded. Without dedicated volunteers such as Angela serving as a backbone and pillar of pro-youth organizations such as the BSA, the Bronx River District, Greater New York Council, and BSA organization would not be as successful as it has been with the development of our nation’s greatest treasure and resource, our youth. 

          Once again, thank you, and congratulations, Silver Beaver!!!