Frank VanderSloot Earns Prestigious Boy Scouts Award
On December 12, 2017, the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) Grand Teton Council of the presented the Distinguished Citizen Award to Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot. The bronze statue was presented during a special ceremony at the company’s annual Christmas party in Rexburg, Idaho, where thousands of Melaleuca employees ad their families were in attendance.
One of the Scouting organization’s highest honors, the Distinguished Citizen Award had never before been presented to anyone in eastern Idaho. Other BSA councils throughout America may recognize one individual per year with this extraordinary honor.
“Frank VanderSloot exemplifies the 12 points of the Scout law,” Grand Teton Council CEO Clarke Farrer said. “He is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. In our experience with Frank, he exemplifies all of those virtues, values and principles that Boy Scouts live by.”
During his presentation, Farrer shared with the audience some of the acts of service VanderSloot has performed for the Scouting organization. For the past 28 years, VanderSloot has sponsored the Scouting for Food drive, which has brought in more than 2,500 tons of food for tens of thousands of families. In addition, through the Melaleuca Foundation, he donated $3.5 million to pay for a new headquarters for the Grand Teton Council.
However, Farrar pointed out, VanderSloot was a logical choice for this award because he regularly serves others beyond the BSA. He was selected for hosting the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration every Fourth of July, providing college scholarships for disadvantaged high school students, supporting countless youth through the 4-H program, helping pay for a new baseball stadium in Idaho Falls, supporting pregnant teens through the Shepherd’s Inn, and much more, Farrar said.
“Most of what VanderSloot does is either anonymous or done very quietly so people, in general, don’t know about it,” Farrer said.
More details about the award presentation are available at East Idaho News.com.