Scouter of the Month - Debbie Heine Debbie Heine is living the Scout law as an adult volunteer from Signal Hill District. For the past three years, Debbie has been handling paperwork for Troop 964 activities; she was Assistant Scoutmaster of the year in 2004; a proud member of the C-25-05 Woodbadge Beaver and for the past two years, she’s been Signal Hill’s scheduling coordinator for the Friends of Scouting Campaign. She became a James E. West Fellow in 2005. Is a merit badge counselor; has earned the Boy Scout Leader Training Award; is a member of the Wilderness Engineers; completed her Order of the Arrow Ordeal in May, 2006, and is a Co-Adviser in OA’s Lakota Lodge; she’s a District Committee member; a Troop Guide for Okpik, and has committed to being on Okpik staff next year; will be on staff for Klondike 2007, and IOLS in April, 2007; and in addition she’s looking forward to co-leading one of the four Troop 964 crews to the Boundary Waters in June, 2007. Debbie started her Scout leadership when she was a Den Leader and Co-Den Leader as well as the treasurer of Pack 48 for the 5 years.When her son bridged to Boy Scout Troop 964 in 2003, she was invited to be a leader, but quickly declined. Six months later, she bought herself a shirt, filled out the leader application, and has been going ever since. In her spare time, Debbie works full-time as an Account Manager for Van Fossan & Associates, an insurance agency in Barrington. Her husband of 25 years, Bob, is withMotor & Coil Corporation. Bob is incredibly supportive of herlove for, and devotion to, Scouting.While he prefers athletics to camping, Bob has always been unbelievably encouraging – which is something all Scouters dream of. When Debbie returns from a campout, Bob is there to lend a hand and to help set up those wet tents in the front yard. The Heine’s live in Hoffman Estates, with their two children, Brad & Ashley, ages 14 and 11.Brad, a freshman at Barrington High School, is two merit badges away from being a Life Scout. Ashley is in 6th grade at Immanuel Lutheran School in Palatine, where Debbie is in her second year as President of Immanuel’s Parent Teacher League. Ashley focuses her attention to school athletics. Debbie's ardent supporter of leader training.“There’s really no excuse for leaders not to be trained.” As a matter of fact, she’s taken some classes two and three times – “they’re inexpensive, classes are usually close to home, and you always pick up one or two ideas that were missed during a previous class.” Where else but at BSA leader classes can a bunch of adults get together and be downright silly?? “I like to have fun, and if I happen to learn something along the way, it’s a bonus. When it stops being fun, I’ll back off. For now, I get to rub elbows with some of the choice leaders in NWSC.” Her real motivation, though, has been the handful of core leaders within Troop 964. It is their encouragement, friendship, love, and unyielding devotion to the ideals of Scouting that has truly been her inspiration. “It’s that handful of seasoned leaders who keep me going, and who keep it fun and interesting. They’re the best of the best, and I can’t imagine Scouting without them.”