The Shelter Rock District of the Theodore Roosevelt Council (TRC), Boy Scouts of America, Community Service Award was presented to James Smiros, Cub Scouts Pack 253 committee chair at a reception and dinner held at the Swan Club on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Mr. Smiros founded Smiros & Smiros Architects, LLP in 1993 with his wife Laura. As Design Partner at S&S, Jim, a gifted artist and manager, has sculpted numerous dreams into stately reality. Born with an intuitive ability to understand and work well with others, Jim has applied his keen eye for detail and skillfully lead S&S through the successful completion of projects in the New York metro area, Palm Beach, Russia and England. He brought those skills to his work as committee chair for Cub Scouts Pack 253.

The event was co-chaired by Richard and Diane Ferris. Mr. Ferris said, "Scouting is not an alternative to sports but is a program that rounds out what the young men are learning. There is no better way to teach leadership skills," he said. "The Boy Scouts run their own troop and create their own programs. It is the only program that teaches a way of life," he said.

Mr. Ferris told the story of former chair Joe Orlich stepping down and James Smiros stepping up to be the committee chair. Mr. Smiros handles all the paperwork for the club, arranging for all the needed permission slips for trips and taking care of all the details," said Robin Kuehhas, Cubmaster. "I just have to run the meetings," she said.

The guests enjoyed watching a PowerPoint program of what the scouts have been doing this year. It included a canoe trip, the TR Pilgrimage, visiting the TR gravesite at Youngs Memorial Cemetery, their holiday party, the holiday toy drive, the Pinewood Derby, skating, the Klondike Derby, Scout Sunday at St. Dominic R.C., the trip to Philadelphia where they visited the Franklin Science Institute, and fishing. "It was 12 months of activities," said Mr. Ferris. He gave Mr. Smiros' professional credits and Diane Ferris spoke of him personally. She said they went to the same high school as James Smiro, where she remembered him as always being 'nice': "Always smiling and enjoying the day."

They met again at Oyster Babies as their children attended the child care center in Oyster Bay. She called him a "multi-tasker" and that was the clue to his award photograph. They presented him with a framed copy of Jim at a softball game with him watching his son at bat, listening to OB-EN Superintendent of Schools Dr. Phyllis Harrington on his cell phone (he is president of the board) and checking his message on his Palm Pilot for email from the office, Smiros & Smiros Architects, LLP.

Gerald Kaiser, president of the TRC presented the community service award to Mr. Smiros.

In accepting the award, Mr. Smiros talked of the value of community service and the rewards of being part of a larger group. He thanked his wife Laura, for being not only his wife, but his best friend and business partner saying without her he wouldn't be able to do what he does. He thanked his children Christina and Dean; Laura's mother Eileen, his nephew Anthony, his parents Dino and Mary Smiros. He said, "I'm accepting this award on behalf of all of you. Thank you very much."

He ended his talk with a list of the 10 top signs you are becoming too involved with scouting. The audience enjoyed them all including the ending, "When the height of our social season is a District Recognition dinner." The Scouting audience appreciated the fun comments.

Rich Ferris tied up the evening saying that they had raised $15,000 for the Boy Scouts and they called for a rousing "Bully" from the audience.

Jim Smiros' nephew Anthony rose to give an impromptu speech thanking his Uncle Jim and Aunt Laura for being his mentors. He was an Oyster Bay High School senior, and attended SUNY Albany but hoped to switch to NYU. He managed to achieve his goal and credited the help he received from Jim and Laura for making it so.

Scouting Executive Director Ed McLaughlin presented an award to Rich and Diane Ferris for arranging the reception and journal. He gave the closing remarks saying, one of Scouting's teachings is that "Wherever you've been you leave it better than you found it. You've done it Jim!"