The Versens of Centerville are a Miami Valley family that is living proof of the benefits of Scouting. Brothers Erik, Brett and Ryan Versen — all third-generation Eagle Scouts — say they owe much to the life preparation they got from all their years in Scouting.
“We use what we learned in Scouting every day,” said 27-year-old Erik, the eldest of the brothers. “From leadership to being prompt and taking pride (in our work). A lot of people don’t do that today and don’t realize how it makes them look.
“There are a lot of different people with different personalities and you learn how to get along and benefit from that at an early age. Unfortunately, I think many people think all Boy Scouts do is tie knots,” he said.
Erik and Brett, both engineers, have traveled the world as a part of their jobs and say they are grateful for having learned well the Boy Scout motto — be prepared. Many things come up or change at the last minute, they say, and because of their Scout training they are able to quickly adapt or improvise to meet whatever challenge they are facing.
It’s not always easy being a Scout.
Twenty-one-year-old Ryan, also an engineer and Air Force pilot hopeful, recalls being teased terribly in school because of it.
“As teammates were laughing at me (for something related to Scouting) my coach told them they should stop because I’d get the last laugh — and he was right,” said Ryan.
Scouting is a family affair for the Versens. The brothers’ grandfather and two great uncles are Eagle Scouts as are their father and uncle. As the brothers were coming up through Scouts —father, Bill Versen, was Cub Master of Centerville Pack 315 of Normandy Elementary for the bulk of the 1990s while mom, Paula Versen, served as den leader and general pinch-hitter for the pack.
Back then the pack put together and installed playground equipment at the school that is still being enjoyed today.
“Ultimately, Scouting is about putting service before yourself,” said Erik. “The skill set transfers right over to whatever you want to do in life.”
To learn more about the celebration, visit www.scouting.org/100years.
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