Restoring the Village
Thursday, September 18, 2025 - 2nd Annual Restoring The Village Event!
JOIN US for the Gulf Stream Council, Scouting America, as we proudly host our 2nd annual Restoring the Village Event on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at Marina Village Event Center, 200 E. 13th Street, Riviera Beach, FL 33404, at 6:00 pm. The event will feature National awards for community leaders' extraordinary service to individuals or originations for supporting Scouting in rural, lower-income, and urban areas. The Restoring the Village Committee is planning a chic evening.
Robert L. Johnson, the guest speaker, is the Founder and Chairman of RLJ Companies, LLC, an innovative business Network, and owns or holds interests in businesses operating in hotel real estate, private equity, 401k fintech services, automobile dealerships, content streaming, family, and sports betting.
Prior to forming The RLJ Companies, Mr. Johnson was founded and chairman of Black Entertainment Television (BET), the nation’s first Black-owned cable television network.
The Gulf Stream Council relies upon financial sponsorship to continue its Scouting mission. These sponsorships fund life-changing programs that develop social skills, self-esteem, character, and leadership.
We are asking for your support. Please consider participating at one of the sponsorship levels outlined on the next page. Our community relies on the generosity of donors to make a difference in our youth and our Scouting programs. Thank you in advance for your sponsorship!
If you have any questions please contact Bianka Cullen, Development Director at bianka.cullen@scouting.org or 561-694-8585
Restoring the Village Focus
The Gulf Stream Council's initiative to extend Scouting's reach to all youth encompasses Belle Glade and Riviera Beach, Florida, where many promising individuals face daunting challenges. These difficulties, including poverty, violence, crime, gang involvement, and limited parental engagement, significantly impede their prospects for future success, perpetuating a cycle of despair across generations.
Our mission is to forge a meaningful alliance among Scouting, community leaders, and at-risk youth, empowering young people in struggling neighborhoods with essential values, resources, opportunities, and mentors to cultivate a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
Our Solution involves the Restoring the Village initiative, which aims to alter young people's perspectives by offering a more fulfilling alternative to the transient excitement and enduring hardship associated with street life. While traditional Scouting units often rely on parental volunteers for leadership, Restoring the Village adapts to the realities of single-parent households by engaging positive community figures as volunteers. These leaders, supported by scouting professionals, impart crucial life skills, outdoor experiences, career readiness, a dedication to community service, and a positive mindset, instilling in their charges the ethos of being "Prepared. For Life."
Annual Restoring The Village Dinner
Each year, at our esteemed Annual Restoring The Village Dinner, alongside our distinguished Guest Speaker (TBA), we proudly bestow the prestigious Whitney M. Young Jr Service Award and the William H. Spurgeon III Service Award upon deserving recipients.
About the Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award
This award honors exceptional service by adults or organizations who have shown remarkable commitment to the development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for youth from rural or low-income urban backgrounds.2024 Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Awardees:
- Eugene Mann - Retired Judge
- Moses Baker, Jr.
About the William H. Spurgeon III Service Award
Similarly, this award stands as the pinnacle of recognition for individuals and organizations who have demonstrated significant leadership in the Exploring Program. Instituted in 1971, this award pays tribute to the remarkable contributions of those, like William H. Spurgeon III himself, who have played a pivotal role in advancing special interest Exploration initiatives.2024 William H. Spurgeon III Awardee:
- Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office