Washburn honors longtime scoutmaster

Washburn Boy Scout Troop 177 Scoutmaster Larry Harrison's fellow scouts presented him with a wooden cut-out of the state of Maine that bore much of the advice he has given to scouts during his 40-year tenure as scoutmaster. Harrison was honored in a surprise ceremony that took place at Washburn District High School on Saturday, Jan. 28. (Melissa Lizotte)

WASHBURN, Maine — The night of Saturday, Jan. 27, is likely one that Larry Harrison, Scoutmaster for Washburn’s Boy Scout Troop 177, won’t forget.

As Harrison enjoyed a meal of spaghetti at the Washburn District High School gymnasium, he had no idea that his fellow Scouts, family and friends had much more than good food and great company planned.

After the dinner ended, the more than 60 people who had come out in celebration of Harrison’s 40 continuous years as Scoutmaster filled the seats in front of the gymnasium stage. As the curtains opened, they revealed a “campsite” complete with two tents, a picnic table, fold-out chairs, the northern Maine woods in the background and a warm “fire” blazing. The name “Camp Harrison” was etched into the fire pit holder, the same name for the camp in Washburn where Troop 177 meets every week.

Harrison walked onstage, took in the sight around him and sat down on a fold-out chair near the speaker’s podium, speechless.

Larry Harrison, 40-year scoutmaster for Troop 177 in Washburn, presents an American flag to Boy Scout Damien Dumont, 10. Another American flag will be flown over the state capital in Augusta, by request of Senator Susan Collins, on February 8 in Harrison’s honor. (Melissa Lizotte)

Taylor Skinner, Eagle Scout and assistant manager for Troop 177, assured Harrison that he was not experiencing a retirement party, but rather a celebration of his commitment to instilling responsibility and leadership qualities into thousands of young men throughout his life.

“Larry, your fellow Scouts did a little math before tonight and found that in 40 years you have put in an average of 2,080 hours with the Scouts. That’s the same amount of hours an average person works during a year for a full-time job,” Skinner said. “I hope tonight gives you energy for another 40 years as Scoutmaster.”

Harrison first joined the Cub Scouts in 1961 and moved on to Boy Scouts in 1964. After graduating high school, he began a 20-year career with the United States Air Force, much of which he spent at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone. He served as branch manager for the local American Red Cross Chapter for 14 years and has now been a county technician at Defense Finance and Accounting Services in Limestone for 10 years.

But the one endeavor that has been consistent no matter what, many speakers emphasized, was his duties as Scoutmaster that began on May 31, 1977, when he was 23 years old.

“Thirty-one of the 37 Eagle Scouts that have come from Troop 177 came from under Larry’s guidance,” Bob Cole said. Cole was Harrison’s second Eagle Scout and he travelled from his home in Portland to attend Saturday’s ceremony. “A lot of parents become involved with Boy Scouts for a period of time, but Larry has always been the commonality. Every parent you talk to has encountered him at some point.”

To honor his dedication to the Scouts, Harrison’s colleagues presented him several awards to commemorate the past 40 years. Scott Harvey, Scout executive for Troop 177, gave him the first annual Larry Harrison Scoutmaster Legacy Award. Every year the award will be given to a Scout who exemplifies the leadership qualities that Harrison has strived to maintain throughout his Scouting years.

Phil Bosse, representative from Senator Susan Collins’ Caribou office, read a letter from the senator and announced that on Feb. 8 an American flag will fly over the state capitol in Augusta in honor of Harrison’s service to the Scouts. Boy Scout Damien Dumont, 10, won another American flag after discovering that his chair had the piece of red tape needed to claim the flag.

Harrison then received the 2018 Rotary Service Award from Washburn Rotary Club President Steve Boddy, also an Eagle Scout.

“As Scoutmaster you have helped so many boys become more confident as they grow into manhood by allowing them to become leaders themselves,” Boddy said to Harrison. “We are a small troop but you always believed in us and never let that become a disadvantage.”

Two of the biggest honors for Harrison came during the final presentations. Longtime friend and Washburn Town Councilor Keith Brown proclaimed that on behalf of the council, May 31 will become Larry Harrison Day in the town starting this year.

“For the past 60 years, Larry has been my best friend,” Brown said. “I have a lot of good memories from going camping with him as part of the Scouts and receiving our merit badges. He’s only the second Scoutmaster for Troop 177 and he has always put those boys first.”

Harrison’s Boy Scouts and Eagle Scout closed the ceremony by giving him a wooden cut-out of the state of Maine that bore some of the Scoutmaster’s best advice. When Harrison read aloud one of those phrases, “Be prepared,” the Scouts responded with “We are prepared!” For Harrison, the night was full of surprises but the Scoutmaster humbly stated that being part of the Scouts’ lives meant more to him than any amount of awards ever could.

“When I started out as the Scoutmaster, I never did it for the recognition,” Harrison said. “It’s nice to know that the Scout council and community appreciate what I’ve done, but the recognition is nothing I ever expected. I’m going to hang in there for awhile longer and keep doing it for as long as I can.”