Laura Bussiere, Noel Falcon, and Bob Patton Receive Silver Beaver Award

Virginia Beach, Va. – Three local Scouting America leaders have received the 2025 Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Tidewater Council. First introduced in 1931, the prestigious award recognizes volunteer leaders who have provided distinguished service to youth. These three exemplary leaders have given untold amounts of their time and talents to serve the needs of local youth Scouts.

Laura Bussiere is proud to be from a Scouting family and was “born” into Pack 374 in Virginia Beach, where her mother was a Den Leader. She remains part of Pack 374, both as an Assistant Cubmaster and Lion Den Leader.

As a youth, Laura was a member of the Girl Scouts Council of the Colonial Coast, starting as a Daisy and progressing through the ranks to Junior. She knew then that she wanted to participate in Venturing and was gifted a Venturing shirt as a 13th-birthday present, along with a promise to revive Crew 179 the following year.

During her time in Crew 179, Laura participated in the National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) program and returned as a staffer several times, including at Cape Fear Council during her undergraduate studies at UNC Wilmington. Her pinnacle Venturing experience was participating in the inaugural National Scout Jamboree at the Bechtel Summit Reserve in Glen Jean, West Virginia, in July 2013.

Laura joined the 2019 World Scout Jamboree staff as part of the Puma Patrol. This experience opened her eyes to the world of International Scouting that is available to young people. After the 2022 World Scout Moot was canceled, Laura traveled with her parents to the United Kingdom and Switzerland, where they visited Gilwell Park and the Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC).

This trip motivated Laura to apply for a staff position at KISC. She soon was fortunate to be part of the KISC Summer 2023 Short-Term Staff team as a Hiking Guide. Laura spent three months taking Scouts from around the world through the magic of the Swiss Alps and making friends for life with the other members of the staff team. She recently served on the International Service Team at the 26th World Moot in Porto, Portugal.

After returning to the USA, Laura applied and was accepted as a delegate to the 9th Interamerican Leadership Training (ILT), representing Scouting America. ILT was a transformational experience, focusing not only on the theoretical side of leadership but also on forging connections with other young adults from the Interamerican Region. Laura was back as a Team Advisor for the 10th edition of ILT in 2024.

Laura currently serves as the International Representative for Tidewater Council and as a Deputy Vice Chair on the National International Committee.

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Noel Falcon has devoted his life to service — to his nation, his community, and the youth of Scouting. His career and volunteer leadership reflect a deep commitment to excellence, mentorship, and helping others succeed.

Falcon honorably served 30 years in the United States Coast Guard, retiring as a Senior Chief Petty Officer. During his distinguished career, he served in numerous roles, from shift supervisor to branch chief, and received several awards recognizing his dedication, professionalism, and contributions to the Coast Guard mission.

While still on active duty, Noel further expanded his commitment to public service by becoming a certified Paramedic. For more than 20 years, he served his community in emergency medical services, eventually rising to the position of Deputy Chief of Operations and Training Officer. In this role, he played a key part in preparing and mentoring emergency responders who serve their communities every day.

Noel also shared his knowledge in the classroom. For more than ten years, he served as an instructor at the College of the Albemarle, where his dedication to education significantly improved student outcomes.

Committed to lifelong learning, Noel earned a bachelor’s degree in information technology with Honors from the University of Phoenix.

Noel’s Scouting journey began in 1973, when he joined the Boy Scouts as a youth in Puerto Rico. In 1978, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, Scouting’s highest youth honor. He also served for two years on the summer camp staff, helping deliver the Scouting experience to young Scouts.

After returning to active involvement in 1987, Noel has continued to serve the movement with exceptional dedication. In 1990, he was recognized with the Vigil Honor through the Order of the Arrow at Blue Heron Lodge. His service expanded nationally, where he has served at every National Scout Jamboree since 1997 and every national Order of the Arrow event since 1998, advancing to leadership roles including Jamboree Chief Medical Administrative Officer and Chief of Staff.

In recognition of his outstanding service, Noel received the Order of the Arrow Distinguished Service Award in 2015. He is also a James E. West Fellowship Award recipient and an Order of the Arrow Legacy member. In 2024, he was honored with the Silver Heron Award and continues to serve as a Lodge Advisor for Blue Heron Lodge, mentoring the next generation of Scouting leaders.

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Robert “Bob” Patton has dedicated decades of service to Scouting America, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to youth leadership, outdoor adventure, and the principles of the Scout Oath and Law. His Scouting journey began in Troop 120 in the Cradle of Liberty Council in Philadelphia.

As a youth, Bob was inducted into the Order of the Arrow (OA) through Unami Lodge 1, becoming part of the brotherhood of cheerful service at Treasure Island Scout Camp, the historic birthplace of the OA. He remained active in Scouting and in lodge leadership and served on the camp staff at Treasure Island Scout Camp.

After returning to Scouting as an adult volunteer, Bob quickly became an active and dedicated leader in Virginia Beach. Bob served as Pack Committee Chair and Den Leader. When his son joined Troop 471, he began serving on the troop committee, then as assistant Scoutmaster, and in 2025 became Scoutmaster, continuing his dedication to guiding Scouts toward leadership and advancement. He also completed Wood Badge as a Buffalo in 2022.

Beyond the unit level, Bob has provided significant leadership within the Princess Anne District. He has served on the Tidewater Council Executive Board as the District Training Chair and as District Membership Chair, while also supporting council-level training and membership initiatives. His service was recognized with the District Chair’s Award in 2020 and the District Award of Merit in 2021. From 2022 through 2025, Bob served as Princess Anne District Chair. He continues to support numerous district and council committees in advisory and support roles.

Bob has also remained actively involved in the Order of the Arrow as an adult leader with Blue Heron Lodge. His service includes serving as an associate Chapter Advisor for the Princess Anne Chapter, as a Transportation Advisor for the 2024 Section E9 Conclave held at Pipsico Scout Reservation, and as an Ordeal Advisor in 2025. In recognition of his distinguished service and dedication to the ideals of the Order, Bob received the Vigil Honor in 2025.

Outside of Scouting, Bob has built a successful career in collegiate hospitality. A chef by trade, he served for many years as the District Executive Chef at Old Dominion University, where he helped lead culinary operations and hospitality programs. He currently serves as Director of Operations for Aramark Collegiate Hospitality at ODU, overseeing dining and hospitality services that support the university community.

Bob and his wife Trish are proud parents of two children and share their home with a family dog. In 2022, he proudly celebrated becoming an Eagle Scout dad, continuing the Scouting legacy within his own family.

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Bussiere, Falcon, and Patton received the Silver Beaver Award at the Scouting America Tidewater Council Recognition Banquet on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at the Khedive Shrine Temple in Chesapeake.

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About the Silver Beaver Award

As a movement with leadership overwhelmingly comprised of volunteers, Scouting America recognizes the need to acknowledge the invaluable service Scout leaders render to youth.

The Silver Beaver is the highest honor that a local council can bestow upon a volunteer and is among the most prestigious awards in Scouting. Since 1931, the award has been a means for council-level recognition of Scouters who have provided distinguished service to youth.

A recipient of the award may be a Scouter who has given exceptional service to Scouting or their community over a long period, or it may go to a Scouter who has done a single remarkable act of noteworthy service. Length of service is not a prerequisite, nor does someone’s tenure make this recognition automatic or warranted.

The Silver Beaver is not an “earned” award. A Tidewater Council peer-level volunteer committee selects the honorees after thoroughly reviewing nominations. The Scouting America National Council, on the recommendation of the local council, bestows the award.

About Tidewater Council Scouting America

Established in 1911, Tidewater Council is the fifth oldest Scouting America council in the United States. Today, the council serves approximately 4,000 youth and 1,700 adult volunteers in the Virginia cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach, and the North Carolina counties of Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank, and Perquimans. To learn more about Tidewater Council or to sign your child up for Scouting, visit TidewaterBSA.com, email james.parnell@scouting.org, or call 757-497-2688.

About Scouting America

Scouting America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.^®”

Scouting America welcomes all of America’s youth into its programs. Scouting aims to give them fantastic experiences in the outdoors, and elsewhere, where they can grow in a safe environment. More than 130 million Americans have participated in Scouting’s programs since its founding. Today, almost one million youth are served by 500,000 adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country.

To learn more about Scouting America’s mission, or to sign your child up for Scouting, visit BeAScout.org.