Silver Claws

The Silver Claw is one of S.W.C.’s highest honors, reserved for those who have shown years of dedication, leadership, and spirit at Scouters’ Winter Campout. Each year, a new member is inducted during the closing ceremony, joining an elite group of past Scoutmasters and key contributors who have helped shape the event’s legacy. Wearing the Silver Claw is a mark of respect, tradition, and service to the Scouting community.

What is a Silver Claw?

When one attends SWC, he or she receives a bear claw to verify attendance. Look around your district events and you will see Scouters wearing one or more. When one serves as Scoutmaster of the SWC, the claw that is presented to him or her is not a bear claw but a Silver Eagle Claw.

If a “has-been” is still a member of a Scouting Unit, he/she may still attend SWC as a participant in that unit’s patrol. However, many has-beens are often not actively connected in a Unit, but are still active in various other positions. So the has-beens formed the “Silver Claw” Patrol comprised exclusively of past Scoutmasters.

Origin of the Silver Claws

The transition to Silver Claws began as a way to keep the SWC Staff fresh and welcoming to new staffers. Before this policy, the SWC staff was close to being staffed by “old Scoutmasters” and not enough new Scouters. To prevent SWC from developing a “select” staff, a policy was made to restrict past Scoutmasters from ever serving on the SWC staff again (with the one exception of the last Scoutmaster serving in an advisory capacity the following year).

Being a Silver Claw at SWC

Silver Claws camp as a patrol, if they have no other patrol ties. They do not compete for awards with the other SWC patrols but do join in many of the activities and games just for the fun of it.

Silver Claws are available for special service activities, if the current Scoutmaster needs assistance. Several members do perform services and camp with the Silver Claws at the same time.

Creating the Silver Claw Patrol has made freed up staff position opportunities for new Scouters and created a great patrol, deep with experience.

Membership grows by just one each year and is permanent, regardless of their active involvement in Scouting, relocation, change of districts or councils, or move on to that great Campground in the sky.

Since 1970, the Scoutmaster traditionally serves one year and returns the following year as “Advisor”. After serving as Advisor, he/she joins the Silver Claw patrol.

Silver Claw Patrol Roster

Past SWC Scoutmasters

	YEAR	SCOUTMASTER
1	1968	Homer Powell *
2	1970	Homer Powell *
3	1971	Sieg Gruener *
4	1972	Elton Adams *
5	1973	Bill Craig
6	1974	Tom Ogletree *
7	1975	Bill Barber *
8	1976	Jim Moody
9	1977	Hank Thornburgh
10	1978	Henry Branton
11	1979	Dave Lipscomb *
12	1980	Bob Claunch *
13	1981	Rob Roper
14	1982	Mike Fletcher
15	1983	Bill Hight
16	1984	Hart Gates *
17	1985	Malcom Bowles *
18	1986	Jim Vaughn *
19	1987	Ted Vinson
20	1988	Dan Worley
21	1989	Bill Collier *
22	1990	Eddie Gomez
23	1991	Cliff McMahan
24	1992	Bill Hill
25	1993	Bion Jones
26	1994	Steve Fisher
27	1995	Russ Parker *
28	1996	Bill Bass
29	1997	Don Prince
30	1998	Tom Sprayberry
31	1999	David Adams
32	2000	Sam Johnson

*deceased

	YEAR	SCOUTMASTER
33	2001	Terry Nunn
34	2002	Dave Heusinger
35	2003	Ray Hopkins
36	2004	David Muller
37	2005	Pat Bonito
38	2006	Michele Lavigne
39	2007	Don Snyder
40	2008	Dave Parks
41	2009	Tom Morin *
42	2010	John Keeshan
43	2011	Warren Wright
44	2012	Dennis Rowe
45	2013	Dan Wright
46	2014	Paul Fitzner
47	2015	Dave Schimmel
48	2016	Trent Trees
49	2017	Bob Higgins
50	2018	Audrey Taylor
51	2019	Sherry Wright
52	2020	Greg Knight
53	2021	Bill Jones
54	2022	Bob Griffin
55	2023	Tracy Jones
56	2024	Clint Pope
57	2025	Steve Parker
58	2026	Colleen Pope
59	2027	TBD
60	2028	TBD
61	2029	TBD
62	2030	TBD
63	2031	TBD
64	2032	TBD
65	2033	TBD