All Scouts and leaders are invited to join COLBSA for a celebration of Walter’s life on Saturday, March 30 at 2 p.m. at the Theatre of the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology, 800 Manchester Avenue, Media, Pennsylvania. More details below.
Dear Scouting Family and Friends:
The Cradle of Liberty Council, Boy Scouts of America joins family and friends from across the nation in mourning the incredible loss of a great man and a champion for education – our long-time friend and supporter, Walter R. Garrison, who passed away on February 24, 2019. Walter was a highly successful engineer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He embodied the Scout Oath and Law in everything he did, particularly the call to help other people at all times.
A natural born leader and innovator, Walter proudly served in the Navy Air Corps in World War II and continued to serve both his country and his community in various ways throughout his lifetime. He founded the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology in 1953 and later served as president and CEO of CDI Corp.
Walter’s outstanding generosity, leadership and commitment to community service earned him numerous awards and other recognitions. He had a passion for education and saw Scouting as the perfect vehicle to couple fun, adventure, and creativity together with teaching young people the core principles of citizenship and leadership. In 2000, Walter, and his wife Jayne, led the efforts to build Camp Garrison at the Musser Scout Reservation, which remains a highly popular hub for outdoor learning and adventures for hundreds of Cub Scouts and families today.
Youth from our council and across the nation will continue to be impacted by the indelible mark that Walter left on Scouting for generations to come. To that end, I have two requests:
Celebration of Walter’s Life
I would like to invite all Scouts and leaders to join us for a celebration of Walter’s life on Saturday, March 30 at 2 p.m. at the Theatre of the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology, 800 Manchester Avenue, Media, Pennsylvania. Please come dressed in your Class A uniform and help us demonstrate our appreciation to the Garrison family and reflect on Walter’s magnanimous contributions to Scouting. Memorabilia of his incredible life will be presented on the college sun porch at 1 p.m.
Cards to Support Walter’s Family
I’d like to encourage our packs and troops to send individual or unit-level expressions of condolences and gratitude to the Garrison family c/o of the Cradle of Liberty Council at 1485 Valley Forge Road, Wayne, PA, 19087. As the family celebrates Walter’s life during this difficult time, I am sure they will appreciate learning more about your experiences and memories at Camp Garrison – and find comfort in knowing that Walter’s legacy lives on through us.
The council continues to pray for Walter’s family and asks that you do the same.
Yours in Scouting,
Dan Templar
Scout Executive/CEO
The Cradle of Liberty Council, Boy Scouts of America