All Across America, and certainly in the Montana Council, there are certain individuals who exemplify all the best of Scouting.
Ray Lau of Three Forks, MT, was one of those individuals.
I first met Ray as a 13-year-old Takaschin (NYLT) Participant at Camp Arcola. He was a part of the adult service staff and I (as Patrol Leader) was to invite him to have dinner with us in our Patrol site.
I made the necessary assignments for camp duties and somehow ended up with the responsibility of cooking dinner. Dinner was Spaghetti.
None of us had cooked spaghetti, but all had seen it done. I filled a pot with cold water, put it on the camp stove and promptly broke a good handful of Spaghetti in half and dumped it in the cold water.
Twenty minutes later we had a spaghetti lump the exact size and shape of the pot!
Upon arriving at camp and looking over the mess, Ray just laughed and told us all that he would be back the next night and show us how to properly cook a spaghetti dinner.
Ray was bigger than life, and no single man I have ever met had more respect for our flag or more respect for how Scouting prepares young people for life.
He made sure of it.
Ray served every time he was asked to be part of a Wood Badge or Takaschin Staff and did so in excess of 20 years. He was the mastermind behind many of the final ceremonies (largely featuring our flag and service to our country).
Until the day he passed, he would regularly send cards, letters and never missed an annual phone call to wish me and my Scouting family the best during the holiday season. He taught me and others that the world is better when we give freely of ourselves.
Rest in Peace Ray – You definitely “Worked Your Ticket!”
In honor of Ray, my family and I will be making a donation in his name to the Council to send youth to camp. I hope those who knew him or wish to will join us in that effort. Donations can be directed to the Montana Council for the Ray Lau Memorial Campership.
Jory Dellinger
Interim Scout Executive
