David Novy: A Landmark James West Donor
David Novy has contributed 50 James West Awards, more than any other person in Northern Star Council history. He thinks it is important to recognize others in this way as “recognizing people is the best way to keep them involved.” He has given in honor of Eagle Scouts, mentors and friends of Scouting because, “they have helped me become who I am.”
Contributions to the James E. West Fellowship, in increments of $1,000 or more, go to Northern Star Scouting’s General or Camp Maintenance Endowment Funds, and can either recognize the donor to Northern Star, or can be a contribution in honor of others, such as David has done. David has chosen to give to the Camp Maintenance Endowment.
David retired from the 3M Company after 45 years. He has been the Scoutmaster of Troop 9216 since 2009. This troop is “blended” with Troop 7216 where he is a Committee Member. He is a Board Member and the Collections Committee Chair of the North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting, serves in Commissioner roles for Districts G and I, and is the Council Camping Committee Liaison and a webmaster for the Totanhan Nakaha Order of the Arrow Lodge. In addition, he serves on the Council Conservation Committee and has been an adult summer camp leader at Tomahawk Scout Camp for 31 years
In the past he was a District and Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner, served as the Council Chair for Scouting for Food for two years and chaired a Council training team that conducted 20 Advanced Outdoor Leadership Courses over a five-year period. He was also on the Council Winter Camp School team for 17 years.
David is an Eagle Scout (1963) with Silver Palm. He has received the Silver Beaver Award from the Indianhead Council, as well as being an Order of the Arrow Vigil Honor member and Founder’s Award recipient.
Another accomplishment he is very proud of is that he has donated 238 units, almost 30 gallons, of whole blood to the Red Cross and the Memorial Blood Banks. He has been a volunteer 3M Language Society German teacher for over 40 years.
During summer camp as a youth, he said many of the Scout leaders had to go to work during the day, returning at night from their jobs or they had to use one of the 10 vacation days they received a year. These men had been through the Depression and World War II, and they used their precious free time for us, a group of rowdy teenagers. David says of those Scout leaders, “We had no idea what those leaders were sacrificing for us.”
David’s wife Billie is a retired nurse with a B.S. in Nursing. She worked for many years for the Presbyterian Church USA Synod and for Junior Achievement. Their son Brandon started in Scouts as a Webelos, earned his Eagle with three silver palms, and graduated from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. He is now a Project Manager with Dunne Consulting. His daughter Devon chose tap dancing over Scouting as a youth. She earned a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and is now a Lead Chemical Engineer with Ecolab.
His life philosophy involves being grateful for what others have done for him, and being willing to share his time and talents to improve the lives of others. David feels that the key to happiness in life lies in maintaining strong relationships and investing in experiences with others instead of acquiring possessions. He feels there is no better way to build strong relationships and support your community than to invest in value organizations like the Scouts.
“That is why I donate to the Northern Star Scouting’s camp maintenance endowment fund by means of James West Fellowships.” he said. “I am able to recognize those who have helped me and also help guarantee the future of Scouting. Maintenance is also a long-term commitment to the future. You will not have a future if you do not preserve and respect the past.”