Imam Talib joined Archbishop William Lori providing Invocations at the 2013 Baltimore Area Council Recognition Dinner. Inviting Faith Traditions to participate is a Scouting tradition.

1. With G’d’s Name, The Merciful Benefactor, The Merciful Redeemer
Imam Talib Shareef Gives Invocation at Baltimore Boy Scout Volunteer Dinner
On March 21, Imam Talib Shareef was one of two persons invited to give the
invocation at the 2013 Volunteer Recognition Reception for the Baltimore Area Council
of Boy Scouts of America (BAC/BSA). Imam Shareef was one of four religious leaders
giving the invocation last year. He had so impressed the BAC leadership that he was
invited to return this year. Bishop William Lori of the Archdiocese of Baltimore was also
invited to help open up the program. The Baltimore Area Council of Boy Scouts has a
tradition of including representatives of various faith communities at all of its events. For
the past four years, it has contacted the Concerned Muslims of Annapolis (CMA), to
provide an Imam. This year’s dinner was well attended, with approximately 600 parents,
politicians, scouts of all ages, salaried and volunteer staff personnel, and hundreds of
volunteer leaders. A tribute was paid to the late artist Norman Rockwell, who did
extensive work painting selected Scouts on the BSA magazine covers and calendars. The
annual event showcases the dedicated, tireless work of scouting leaders, without whom
the programs would not be a success. Each of the volunteers who have been nominated
from the 13 districts making up the Council received a plaque and commendation for
their work. The Reception recognized some volunteers with the presentation of the Silver
Beaver Award. The highlight of the evening is the badge presentation to and introduction
of the Eagle Scout Class of 2012.The 2013 Volunteer Recognition Reception was held at
Martin’s West. Martin’s Caterers is a premier catering company in the Baltimore -
Washington, DC, offering receptions, conferences, and conventions at its seven locations.
As usual, Martin’s served the guests buffet-style, with a wide variety of delicious cuisine.
Archbishop Lori gave the first invocation, extolling all in attendance to receive
G’d’s blessings. Imam Shareef also thanked Allah for blessing us to come together for
the worthwhile event. He identified the attendants as part of the “family of Adam”. He
continued on by recognizing the contributions of our armed forces, who he said, “have
sustained America as the greatest country in the world”. He called them the “nation’s
finest men and women”. Imam Shareef prayed for their safe return and for “peace in the
afterlife for those who make the ultimate sacrifice.”
What is an Eagle Scout?
Becoming an Eagle Scout is the highest honor a Boy Scout can achieve. It is
considered a title one carries for life. It is said that “Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.” At
the 2013 Reception, 200 scouts were given an Eagle Scout badge indicating that each of
them had completed a project reflecting service and leadership, two values that embody
the Scout Spirit through the Boy Scout Oath and Law. The scout has to be younger than
18 years of age and a member for at least 6 months. He has to organize, lead, and manage
the project. Some examples from the 2013 Reception program booklet were:
1. Built four benches for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
2. Built a 10x10 arts and crafts stage for a children’s play area at Oregon Ridge
Nature Center

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3. Aiding in bringing the kitchen of Hiss Methodist Church to cleanliness
standards and codes
4. Replaced an old wood set of steps, retaining wall and railing with stone
materials at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Most boys find a need at their sponsor’s place, usually a church, synagogue or
mosque. Some tackle community spaces. They submit a written explanation of the
project, noting what, how, when, and where they will complete the project. The Scout
leader will assist them with ideas, but the scout must lead the renovation, building, or
restoring. The scout must explain how funds will be raised to complete the project, either
from donations or from fund-raising events. The project reflects the scout’s creativity,
initiative, and persistence. The project must address an identified need and must be
completed before the age of 18. The scout must have earned at least 21 merit badges
before starting the Eagle project. Twelve of the merit badges are mandatory and 11 are
elective. Among the mandatory badges are First Aid, Personal Fitness, and Swimming,
Hiking, or Cycling. In January 1, 2014, cooking will be added, bringing the required
merit badges to 13 (www.wikipedia.com).
The BSA was founded in 1910. The first Boy Scout to receive an Eagle badge
was Arthur Rose Eldred from Troop 1 in Long Island, N.Y. He received it in 1912. Many
black leaders participated in scouting and some famous ones achieved Eagle. Three well-
known men are Ernest Green, a member of the Little Rock Nine; Guy Bluford, Jr., the
first black astronaut in space; and Stanford Bishop, a US representative in Georgia.
There are many fewer African-American Eagle Scouts compared to whites. For
many years, the first person identified as an Eagle Scout was Edgar Cunningham, Sr. He
earned the badge from the first all-black troop 12 in Waterloo, Iowa. The National BSA
did not keep records on ethnicity until recently and since then it has been discovered that
scout Harry Cooper of Troop 92 in Kansas earned an Eagle Scout in 1920, earlier than
scout Cunningham. The official history is still being researched
(www.wiki.answers.com).
In 1982, some American Muslims established a partnership with the National Boy
Scouts and created the Islamic Council on Scouting of North America and the National
Islamic Committee on Scouting (www.islamicscouting.org). However, troops of African
American Muslim scouts have been in existence at various Masajids under the leadership
of the late W.D. Mohammed, long before this 1982 partnership was established. It takes
dedicated, hard working adult leadership to establish and maintain a troop. Boy Scout
leaders are both male and female. It takes even more dedication to help young adolescent
boys become Eagle Scouts.

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Sonia Lewis---Phenomenal Eagle Scout Leader
At the Volunteer Recognition Reception, 15 persons were honored. Sonia Lewis
was the only woman to be recognized in that number. Ms. Lewis has mentored five
Eagles and has three others that she is inspiring now to achieve the Eagle goal. With such
a low percentage of African-American youth in the general BSA population, even less
achieving Eagle status, having six Eagles is truly phenomenal!
CMA first met Ms. Lewis in 2011 when she provided Eagle Scout, Malcolm X.
Dirton, to us. We were co-sponsors of a program featuring the grandson of the late El
Hajj Malik Shabazz. The grandson is named Malcolm Shabazz. Ms. Lewis introduced us
to an Eagle Scout named Malcolm X. Dirton, named for the iconic El Hajj Malik
Shabazz. Eagle Scout Malcolm is now in the Air Force, stationed in New Mexico. Ms.
Lewis, not only helped these six young boys develop into manhood, she stays in contact
with them encouraging them to lead a positive life. As a troop leader she demands that all
her boys graduate from high school. She serves as the chair of her district (Thurgood
Marshall) in inner city Baltimore. The Baltimore Area Council has 13 districts. Thurgood
Marshall is one of the few predominately African American districts.
Ms. Lewis, a native of Baltimore, is a computer systems analyst. She is a divorced
mother of three. One of her sons was adopted at the age of 13 and is an outstanding Eagle
Scout who now uses gospel rap to minister to urban youth. The other Eagle son is
married and has become a veterinarian. Ms. Lewis reports that that son showed a love for
animals early in his scouting life and has been able to achieve his goal of caring for them.
Her daughter is a sophomore at a Maryland state college. Ms. Lewis has been a Boy
Scout leader for 16 years, serving as a cub master, den leader, council committee
member, and merit badge counselor. She is known as the Pied Piper of youth in her
district, a volunteer that launched a summer camp, and is active in feeding the hungry at
her church, St. Ambrose in Baltimore. Reflecting on being honored, she commented, “I
didn’t do this for awards. I like what I do. I like the boys.” On March 21, she received the
Silver Beaver Award, given to volunteers who implement the scouting program,
performing community service through hard work, self sacrifice, dedication, and many
years of service. It is given to those who do not actively seek it (www.wikipedia.com).
Ms. Lewis’ first scout achieved Eagle in 2006. He remodeled a soup kitchen at the
church where the troop met. He put up new walls, did plastering, and put up a ceiling. He
solicited donations from the community and did some fund raising. He received paint
brushes and masks from Home Depot and a former scout donated paint and room
supplies to him. She is a proud parent of two of “The Six Eagles”. They are her sons: one
is married and a veterinarian. He demonstrated a love for animals early in life and had an
opportunity to learn about them through scouting activities. The other son—adopted at 13
—uses gospel rap to minister to urban youth. A fourth Eagle is finishing college, after
having to help his mother when she was undergoing treatment for brain cancer.

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The fifth Eagle is young Malcolm, now on active duty. The sixth Eagle, who graduated to
Eagle with Malcolm—Arnold Mears -- now volunteers with her troop and recently
completed a 20 mile hike with younger boys. She introduced us to three younger scouts
who she is already inspiring to earn Eagle status.
CMA is fortunate to be in association with an organization that represents the
same values as Islam upholds—submission to the Creator, trust, good will, and
community service. Extolling the teachings of Imam Wallace D. Mohammed, we support
those organizations that honor positive role models for the youth and hold high
expectations of youth progression into adulthood. We thank Imam Shareef, Imam Sultan
Abdullah, Imam Bilal Omar, Imam Rauf Abdullah, and Imam Benjamin Haqq for
donating their time and energy to Baltimore Area Council Boy Scout activities. We also
thank Boy Scout Administrators for recognizing the need for faith-based diversity --
Barry Williams, Chairman of the Executive Board, Ethan Draddy, Scout Executive, Ron
McKinney, Joe Spellman, Aziz Karim, Brian Debease, Casey Snyder, and Janet Fields—
all Scouting executives with whom we have had the honor to meet.
Saisa Neel,
April 3, 2013