Madhu Bora

SILVER BEAVER AWARD RECIPIENT

Madhu's Scouting story began as a young middle schooler when he joined 'Bharat Scouts and Guides' program as part of his school extracurricular activity in India.

His earliest memories of Scouting weren’t about badges or campouts, but attending after school Scout gatherings, with scarf on school uniform, and just helping others with cleaning up the school playground, picking up litter in his neighborhood, and performing traffic duties during local events. Scouting then was simple: see a need, help where you can and behind that instinct was one constant voice - his father's, "It's OK. Go help." Those words became his compass.

Madhu's life eventually pulled him forward—into high school, college, and a demanding career. And Scouting, like many childhood beginnings, quietly faded into the background. Years passed with Scouting becoming a distant memory… until one day, life circled back in the form of his son joining a Boy Scout Troop.

At first, Madhu’s return to Scouting was simple. No big leadership roles. No committee meetings. Just pick-ups, drop-offs, and driving Scouts to troop outings. And then came the moment that changed everything, when girls were allowed to join the Scouting program. Now, both his son and daughter are part of the scouting program.

One day, Madhu was asked to help as an Assistant Scoutmaster for his daughter's troop. At first, Madhu was genuinely scared of the title and responsibility; he felt unprepared and unsure. But the encouragement, mentorship, and warmth of the other leaders helped him find his footing. With their support, he quickly felt at home. That’s when his Scouting journey didn’t just return — it reignited.

Madhu is the Committee Chair for an all-girl Pack & Troop 444 in Sunnyvale, which he helped start. Helps Polaris District as Membership Chair and Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner. Serves as Chancellor of University of Scouting, SVMBC; Course Director, Scouting America CAI Training; NST 3 Fishing Team Member; Brotherhood Member of the Order of the Arrow; Served as Troop Guide in 2023 & 2024 Wood Badge Courses.

Outside of SVMBC, Madhu actively supports as a staff member for Ventura Council, Southern Sierra Council, and Golden Gate Area Council's CAI courses. He supports the National Fishing Team at Jamboree and NOAC.

Madhu's story is about his life that came full circle. A journey that began with a father’s simple encouragement…paused as life carried him elsewhere…and returned in the most meaningful way through his children.

Madhu Bora isn’t just back in Scouting — he is home again.

Favorite Training Class: Wood Badge

Betty S. Chou

SILVER BEAVER AWARD RECIPIENT

Betty S. Chou first encountered Scouting as a child in elementary school. Those early years were filled with excitement, especially the weekend field trips that became treasured memories. By middle school, Scouting was no longer just an occasional adventure—it was part of the school curriculum. Once a week, the entire class gathered outdoors, each student carrying a special camp chair and a rope. These sessions resembled physical education but had a unique focus: learning outdoor skills, practicing rope techniques, and building teamwork. For her, these experiences left a lasting impression, instilling both resilience and a love for the outdoors.

As life moved forward, Scouting faded into memory until her son expressed an interest in joining. At first, she thought of Scouting only as something tied to school activities, much like her own childhood experience. But everything changed when a co-worker invited them to the Coyote Creek Cycle Classic. That invitation opened the door for her son’s official Scouting journey.

He quickly embraced the program, drawn to two activities in particular: biking and selling popcorn. His very first experience was the biking event, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Soon after, he participated in popcorn sales, an especially memorable occasion as he worked alongside another Scout who shared his name. Both activities brought him joy—biking introduced him to Scouting, while popcorn sales fostered friendship and camaraderie with his peers.

Through her son’s enthusiasm, Scouting returned to her life in a new and meaningful way. What had once been childhood memories now became a shared family experience. She found herself immersed once again in the spirit of Scouting, supporting her son’s adventures and celebrating the friendships and skills he gained along the way. In time, she began taking training courses, following the path of many other parents who step forward to contribute.

Her journey had come full circle—from a young girl learning ropes and outdoor skills in school, to a mother rediscovering Scouting through her son’s joy and commitment. It became not only a story of her past but also a living biography of how Scouting shaped her family’s present and future.

Her journey of service within the Taiwanese and Chinese American communities has been defined by dedication, leadership, and a deep respect for culture. Over the past decade, she has taken on numerous roles that reflect both her professional expertise and her passion for volunteerism.

Favorite Training Class: Leave No Trace
Level II Certificated Instructor Course at Philmont

Jean-Paul Hill

SILVER BEAVER AWARD RECIPIENT

Jean-Paul Hill was first introduced to Scouting when his son Michael was a Cub Scout. On some of their first Scouting adventures together, they went fishing at a lake and camping in the rain. Having never been a Scout, he didn’t know much about the program other than what he had heard about from his friends and his wife, Christine, who was a Girl Scout. As a family, they enjoyed all these adventures together, and when Michael bridged to Troop 163, they followed him. At first, they volunteered to be Troop Committee Members, then Assistant Scoutmasters, and later they both became Scoutmasters. Michael achieved his Eagle Scout Rank and awarded Jean-Paul the Eagle Dad pin, which will always be the Scouting Award that he is most proud of.

If he had to pick a favorite Scout training that he had ever taken, it would have to be Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (iOLS). Christine and Jean-Paul took it one summer at Camp Hi-Sierra and had a blast being Scouts for the week. But the most fun he had in iOLS wasn’t as a participant, but as an instructor. Michael had earned his Eagle Scout, was now an adult, and wanted to be an Assistant Scoutmaster. We had just completed Wood Badge together, and some of the staff were discussing the need for instructors for iOLS. He remembered how much fun it was being a participant, so he joined the staff for the course. He must have done a good job because they kept asking him to come back, and a few years later, they even asked him to be Course Director. Who knew he could have so much fun while helping train other leaders in the ways of Scouting and sharing the knowledge he had gained in his time as a Scouter.

Jean-Paul served as a Scoutmaster for Troop 163 in Milpitas for 10 years and then handed the reins over to one of the Assistant Scoutmasters. His role in Scouting today is more focused on coaching and mentoring older Scouts as they navigate the Eagle Scout process. He was even asked once at work to be the “Scoutmaster” for the group of summer interns they had working. He just likes to be helpful to as many people as possible, living up to his favorite point of both the Scout Oath and Law.

Favorite Training Class: Outdoor Leader Training

Ed Snyder

SILVER BEAVER AWARD RECIPIENT

Many years ago, Ed Snyder joined Boy Scout Troop 306 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, as his father was part of the Apollo space program. Florida was a great place for Scouting, and he earned his Eagle Scout in 1969, including the then-new Space Exploration merit badge.

When Ed’s son Graham turned 11, they joined Troop 494 in Cupertino, and a couple of years later, in 1997, he became the Scoutmaster, a position he has held to this day. Over the past 28 years, Ed has had the privilege of working with 143 boys who earned the Eagle Scout rank. That’s a lot of Scoutmaster Conferences!

Ed is close to retiring from Varian Medical Systems after a long career, primarily designing and building medical imaging and cancer treatment devices as an engineer and engineering manager. He lives in San Jose with his partner, Cindy Pellissier.

A highlight of Ed’s adult scouting career was attending a week of summer camp at Camp Hi-Sierra with his troop over 25 times. Every year, he was inspired by the wonderfully dark nighttime skies there. This experience led to the idea of building a permanent observatory at camp. With lots of help, especially from a friend and Camp Director Bruce Lee, this dream was realized, and the observatory was ready for Summer 2025. During the 6-week summer program, over 500 scouts had the chance to view celestial objects such as nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies. Ed hopes this will inspire many more Scouts in the future!

Favorite Training Class: Wood Badge

Doug Wiley

SILVER BEAVER AWARD RECIPIENT

Doug Wiley’s Scouting history began in 1977, when he became a Bobcat in Cub Scouts. Having 2 older brothers who were also in Scouting, and since both my parents were active in the dens and pack, he was brought along to many functions.

In 1980, at the age of 10 1/2 and having earned his Arrow of Light, he crossed over into the Boy Scouts. He joined Troop 233 in Willow Glen, like his brothers before him. Within about a year, he was a first-class Scout and learning leadership roles within the troop. During his time in the program as a youth, he held many leadership positions and, like his brothers before him, eventually earned his Eagle in October of 1987. During this time, he held down part-time work, maintained a roughly 3.0 grade point average, and wrestled all four years in high school. Some of his fondest memories as a Scout were the campouts and backpacking trips, including the many 50-milers, both backpacking and afloat.

In 1986, he was inducted into the Order of the Arrow as a member of Explorer Post 42, which ran Camp Oljato. Within about 2 years, he became a Brotherhood Member in the Order of the Arrow. In 1991, he was nominated and became a Vigil member. He held many positions in the Order of the Arrow, both as a youth and an adult.

Upon turning 18, he became an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 233, a position he held until the last 10 years as he moved out of the area. He was also a Crew Advisor for Venture Crew 233 in its early days. He has served on many Camp Staff since 1986 to the present day at Camp Oljato, Camp Hi-Sierra, Bristlecone (now NYLT), and Webelos residence camps. He has been through both Bristlecone youth training and Wood Badge Adult leader training (WE3-25-92).

Doug’s favorite training class was Bristlecone when he was a youth. It was the first course he went through that opened his eyes to the many possibilities that Scouting had to offer… and it was his first introduction to Camp Chesebrough.

Doug says that, obviously, his Eagle knot is the one he is most proud of, although he would say he is prouder of his Eagle mentor pins and the nearly 2 dozen Scouts he has helped along the Scouting trail to Eagle.

It’s hard to pick a single Scout law as his favorite, but it would have to be " A Scout is Helpful.

A Scout is Helpful always reminds me of the Scouts and Scouters who have helped him along his Scouting trail. It also reminds him to do his best to help others along their trail… whether it be Scout or life.

Favorite Training Class: Bristlecone as a youth

Mike Winter

SILVER BEAVER AWARD RECIPIENT

Mike Winter has been a Scout as long as he can remember. It started with his father, who is also an Eagle Scout and was the Cubmaster of Pack 330 in Campbell, and then went on to serve as Scoutmaster of Troop 330 in Campbell for more than 10 years. Being the youngest of two sisters and three brothers (all Eagle Scouts), Mike was taken along on Scouting events even before he was old enough to be a Cub Scout. He was the tester for the monkey bridges and towers that the troop would build. Being the smallest, he was less likely to break them. Mike is an Eagle Scout, Wood Badge trained, former den leader, former Cubmaster of Pack 505, long-term summer camp staff, and, since 2018, an ASM of Troop 566.

Going to the Council’s camps was a big part of his life, from Camp Stuart, to Camp Chesebrough, and Camp Hi-Sierra. They all left a mark on him. Camp Hi-Sierra has stayed with Mike the most, from the first time he arrived at camp in the summer of 1978 to being a camper in the 1980’s, working on camp staff in the early 1990’s, and now for more than 30 years being part of the camp's year-round maintenance crew, sometimes even being called Assistant Ranger. Another part of Camp Hi-Sierra is the lifelong friends whom he made there. Mike has an amazing group of friends from his time on camp staff (all Eagle Scouts) who have stayed close. Sharing weddings, births, the passing of parents, and even one FBI graduation that they all flew out to DC for. Mike knows that one call will bring the cavalry running day or night.

The most important gift that came from being involved with Camp Hi-Sierra was meeting his wife, a German Scout, whom he met because of Rendezvous 1992. Now having three boys, two Eagles and one Life Scout, soon to be an Eagle (right Nico, soon!), Mike shared that he sees even more of the importance of giving back to Scouting. Mike’s favorite place to give back - no surprise - is Camp Hi-Sierra.

Favorite Training Class: Wood Badge