The 21st annual Friends of Scouting Leadership Breakfast will follow a similar pattern to the first 20, but there will be one major difference.
The name has been changed to the Friends of Scouting Jim Acers Leadership Breakfast. Acers, the heart and soul of the fundraising breakfast for two decades, died on Aug. 31, 2023, at the cabin he and his wife, Karen, had on Long Lake in Cotton, Minnesota. The Ramsey man was 85.
The first breakfast without him will be held at 7 a.m. Thursday, May 16, at the Elk River American Legion at 525 Railroad Drive.
Trisha Mowry, the second-generation owner of Metal Craft, and Riverside Machine and Engineering, will be the keynote speaker. Her father, Jack Mowry, was the keynote speaker at the 2013 breakfast.
Both Metal Craft and Riverside Machine and Engineering have been in business over 40 years and specialize in medical devices, aviation, space and defense contracting.
At the helm of the two manufacturing companies, Trisha is committed to giving back to the community through supporting such organizations as the Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce, Guardian Angels, Rivers of Hope, Sherburne County Economic Development and BSA Central Minnesota Council. She has also been heavily involved in Scouting as her three children were a part of the program in Elk River. Her children received ranks that included two Life Scouts and one Eagle Scout.
When Trisha has free time, her passions are fueled by sailing the Apostle Islands in Bayfield, Wisconsin, and traveling.
Acers lined up the speakers for the first 20 breakfasts, including Jack Mowry. This year event organizers have lined up Trisha. Dave Anderson and a team of people are preparing this year’s breakfast in a way they hope honors Acers.
The former Scout volunteer was as passionate as ever about getting people to the fundraiser. He enjoyed the program with his sons, Terry and Mike, and served on the Central Minnesota Council and Territory Board for many years.
This year, in honor of his dedication to Scouting, two scholarships for local Scouts will be awarded so they can attend summer camp at Parker Scout Camp.
Acers always encouraged parents with his words and deeds to get involved in Scouting, as he saw the importance of parents being in kids’ lives.
“Scouting has taken a back seat to a lot of important items in kids’ lives,” he once stated at a public meeting. “You have to remember one thing. When a kid goes home, the persons he works with are his parents. If we can get them involved in Scouting, then there will be a two-way street. Parents are going to learn who that kid is, whether it is a daughter or a son. And the daughter or son will find out who the parents are, and not just what they say.
“(You might say) don’t do this or don’t do that,” Acers said. “But they see you. They see you through a lens they will never forget.”
Friends of Scouting Leadership Breakfast speakers
2004: John Barth, Elk River Area Schools
2005: Jerome Malmquist, Northern Star Council
2006: Jim Berg, Elk River Schools
2007: Dan Dixon, Guardian Angels
2008: Stephanie Klinzing, Mayor of Elk River
2009: Lynn Caswell, Surveyor
2010: Jeff Beahen, Chief of Elk River Police
2011: Stewart Wilson, VP, The Bank of Elk River
2012: Denny Chuba, Chuba Company owner
2013: Jack Mowry, Metal Craft CEO
2014: Kathleen Heaney, Sherburne County Attorney
2015: Dave Anderson, Cretex
2016: Mark Bezek, Supt. of Elk River Schools
2017: Joel Brott, Sherburne County Sheriff
2018: John Dietz, Elk River Mayor
2019: Barb Burandt, Sherburne County Commissioner
2020: Dan Bittman, Supt. of Elk River Schools
2021: John Houlton, CEO and Board Chair, First National Financial Services
2022: Jim Witzman, Elk River Scouter, Board Member.
2023: Todd Bouma, Elk River Scout volunteer who started as a den leader and rose to the position of a Scoutmaster
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