Friends and fellow Scouters,
I want to start by saying how grateful I am for the opportunity to serve our district as the next District Chair. I’m especially thankful to Darryl for his leadership and dedication. He helped build a strong foundation, and I’m honored to continue that work alongside all of you.
Like many of you, I’m a parent who got involved because I wanted great experiences for my kids. What kept me here was the incredible community of leaders who give their time to make Scouting possible for young people. Our district works because of volunteers who believe in the mission and show up month after month to support their units and their Scouts.
In my previous role as Membership Chair, I had the chance to work closely with many of our units. Together we focused on strengthening recruitment, helping units welcome new families, and making sure more youth had access to the Scouting program. Because of the work so many of you did—hosting great Join Scouts Nights, inviting friends, and creating welcoming unit cultures—we were able to grow membership and bring new families into Scouting. Those wins belong to the unit leaders who made it happen.
As District Chair, my focus will be on future development and strong units. Everything we do at the district level should support the success of the Pack, Troop, Ship, Post, and Crew leaders who are delivering the program each week. Strong units create great experiences for Scouts, and great experiences are what keep families engaged and help our movement grow.
I believe our district’s success will come from three simple ideas:
- Working together. District volunteers, unit leaders, and chartered partners all play an important role. When we collaborate and communicate well, everyone benefits.
- Developing future leaders. Scouting thrives when we identify and support new volunteers. Mentoring and growing our next generation of leaders will be essential.
- Strengthening our units. Healthy units with engaged leaders and strong programs are the foundation of everything we do.
My goal is to ensure our district is a place where leaders feel supported, ideas are shared freely, and we are all working toward the same mission: helping young people grow into capable, confident, and service-minded adults.
Thank you for the work you already do for your Scouts and for your communities. I look forward to serving alongside each of you and building an even stronger future for our district.
Yours in Scouting,
Dave Wood
Incoming District Chair
