PARENTS WIN HIGHEST HONOR; BOY SCOUTS HONOR VOLUNTEERS WITH SILVER BEAVER AWARD.

Byline: Karen Thacker Community Columnist

A scoutmaster who has spent 32 years as boy and man involved in Scouting; and a woman who has been a den leader, Cub Scout pack chairwoman and raised four Eagle Scouts earned Boy Scouting's highest award for adult volunteers.

Ray Goodale of Quartz Hill and Verlene Rex of Lancaster received the Silver Beaver award from the Western Los Angeles County Council at a banquet this month in Granada Hills.

``It goes to someone who obviously has been in Scouting a long time with an outstanding record of accomplishments,'' said Doug Hilke, field services director for the council, which has 700 Scout units and 22,500 members.

Scouting volunteers are nominated from throughout the council, and information is submitted to a selection committee of past recipients. Twelve were chosen this year.

``It's based on their service to Scouting, to their community and usually to their religious organization if they belong to one,'' Hilke said. ``It's more than just Boy Scouting - what else have they done for the community, their church or synagogue?''

Goodale and Rex both have long service records with Scouting.

Goodale began his Scouting career when he joined an Antelope Valley troop at age 11 and imparted his love for the organization to his four sons, three of them now Eagle Scouts and the fourth starting out as a Tenderfoot.

Goodale received his own Eagle badge in 1964.

``As a kid, the thing I liked most about Scouting was I liked the outdoors, and I learned to take care of myself,'' said the 52-year-old flooring contractor. ``As an adult, it's the opportunity to teach that to youth and to teach adults how to work with youth.''

``I get a real joy out of Scouting - watching the boys do something for the first time and go, wow, I can do that!''

Goodale's adult volunteer service includes serving in six Wood Badge courses, as district varsity adviser, district committee member, unit commissioner, scoutmaster and on numerous Eagle boards of review.

Goodale earned a Wood Badge in 1989, Scouter's Award in 1992, Scouter's Key in 1993 and District Award of Merit in 1995. In 1993 and 1997, he was part of the adult leadership for the National Scout Jamboree.

Goodale is scoutmaster of Troop 108, sponsored by the Quartz Hill Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has also served in various volunteer positions at his church over the years.

He and his wife, Barbara, live in Quartz Hill and have nine children.

Along with a lengthy list of Scouting leadership positions, Rex has four sons of her own who all achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

She started out as a den leader when her first son became a Cub Scout in 1984 in Preston, Idaho. A year later her family moved to the Antelope Valley, where she continued to serve in Scouting.

For about eight years she served on the Cub Pack 713 committee, sponsored by the Joshua Ward of the Mormon church.

Working with the youths has always been a joy to her.

``I like to see when they accomplish their Eagle - the growth that comes to them,'' she said.

Rex has held positions on Antelope Valley's Cub Scout Roundtable staff, day camp staff and as Cub Scout activities commissioner.

She is also active in church volunteer work, and has been chairwoman of the Christmas Creche Festival at the Latter-day Saints Lancaster East Stake Center for several years.

Rex earned an Antelope Valley District Award of Merit in 1988, New Roundtable Award in 1998, as well as Scouter's Key, Scouter's Award and District Commissioner Award.

``I think I was born a Scouter 'cause I've always been interested in it - even as a youth I was interested in what the Boy Scouts were doing,'' she said. ``It's become second nature to me.''

She is on the district Roundtable committee and is committee chairwoman for Pack 144, sponsored by the Tierra Bonita Ward of the Mormon church.

Rex and her husband, Richard, also an avid Scouter, live in Lancaster and have five children.

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PHOTO (Color) Medalists Verlene Rex and Ray Goodale.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News