Troop 9’s Scoutmaster John Schempf, Receives National Lamb Award

We are pleased to announce that John Schempf, a long-time Scouter, has received a National Lutheran Association Lamb Award for his service to the Community, his Church, and Scouting. This award is a national recognition that is given to Lutheran adults to acknowledge their distinguished service in fostering the spiritual growth of youth through church and civic youth-serving agency programs such as Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A, American Heritage Girls, Camp Fire USA, and 4-H.

To achieve this award, the recipient must be an active member of a Lutheran congregation, have a minimum of 10 years of distinguished volunteer service to the church, have a minimum of 10 years of distinguished volunteer service to a civic youth agency like the Boy Scouts, serve as a Christian role model and leader to young people, promote the scouts’ religious growth programs, help organize new units in the congregation, and encourage units to support group service projects in response to a community or congregational need.

John helped organize and became the Scoutmaster of Elim’s Boy Scout Troop 9 in Petaluma, which was chartered in March of 2009. Under John’s leadership, Troop 9 has grown from about a dozen scouts to over 36 registered scouts and has produced five Eagle Scouts to date; Scouting’s highest rank. In 2013 and 2014, with John as the catalyst by seeing a need in the community, Troop 9 put on Emergency Preparation Fairs for the entire Petaluma community, involving the Petaluma City Council, Police and Fire Departments; US Department of Homeland Security; US Federal Emergency Management Agency; Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office; Red Cross; local Veterans of Foreign Wars; Salvation Army; and the US Coast Guard, and many more.

The entire Assistant Scoutmaster corps, as well as, the Troop 9 Committee, nominated John for this award with the endorsement of the Elim Church Leadership Team. John was presented with his award certificate, pin, and medal during Troop 9’s recent Court of Honor held in Elim’s sanctuary on October 14 with representatives of the congregation in attendance. Pictured is: John with his two Son’s Jake and John, who earned their Eagle Scout rank while John served as Assistant Scoutmaster at Troop 2 in Petaluma. 

Please join the scouts and leaders of Troop 9 in recognizing John for his years of servant-leadership within congregation, community, and Scouting!