West Orange Scout Leader Honored by Camp Glen Gray

Jack Dean, a West Orange scout leader, will be inducted into the Camp Glen Gray Hall of Fame on October 25th. Founded in 1917 as a scout camp, Camp Glen Gray is one of the oldest, continuously operated camps in the U.S. When the camp was sold in 2002, Jack was a founder and trustee of the Friends of Glen Gray, the non-profit that took over operation of the camp. The Hall of Fame award is bestowed on volunteers that have made major contributions to the preservation of the camp.

Jack Dean “grew up” at Camp Glen Gray starting as a young boy scout, then camp counselor, an active member of the Old Guard, and finally as a volunteer and trustee of the Friends of Glen Gray.

Born in Caldwell, NJ, Jack joined scouting as a cub scout with Pack 3 Caldwell. His first experience of Glen Gray was as a scout in Troop 3 Caldwell. The troop camped at the Glen as a guest of Troop 45 Montclair. Jack says “it rained pretty much every day, and I recall an ‘aquanaut award’ bestowed on all campers!”

In 1978, Jack joined the camp staff as counselor rotating through office, commissary, archery and commissioner’s areas. Jack returned to camp in the summers of 1980-1983 in various positions that included trading post clerk, commissary worker, and archery director. Jack was inducted into the camp’s service organization, the Old Guard of Camp Glen Gray. He has great memories of each area and the scouts and staff that he met over those summers.

Jack continued to be active in scouting over the next two decades. He assisted in Cannonball District events, joined Essex Council camping committee with roles including preparing camping annual budgets. In capacity of Old Guard Historian in the decade, prepared an update of "Thirty Years of Scout Camping" as a commemorative document for the 75th Anniversary of Camp Glen Gray in 1992, and helped on 75th event staff. He also assisted in 2000 Essex Council Family Camp at the Glen and other events. Jack and his wife Audrey brought their children Julia and Evan to numerous family camps!

With the 2001 council merger, Jack worked with many local scouters to preserve Glen Gray as an youth camp. He was one of the founders of The Friends of Glen Gray. With the help of Trust for Public Lands, Glen Gray was sold to Bergen County for preservation as open space. The camp continues to operate as a year-round campground for scouts, other youth organizations, and families. Jack remained on the Friends board for about 10 years with roles including development of early camp policies and procedures as well as coordinating Hall of Fame/Homecoming fellowship events.

As children came along, Jack enrolled in Pack 110 West Orange with son Evan, and served Pack in a number of roles including Cubmaster. He encouraged pack families to attend Glen Gray family camp events.

Cub Scouting lead to Boy Scouts. Jack is a member of Troop 2 West Orange with son Evan, and has served as Asst Scoutmaster. He has brought the troop nearly every fall to Glen Gray for great wilderness experiences.

Jack was awarded District Award of Merit for service to Orange Mountain District, and served on numerous roles including Chairman. Encouraged OMD Klondikes at the Glen. Served as Vice Chair of merged Lenape Trail District, and is now a Member-at-Large. He has led district events such as Klondike Derbies and Polar Bear Swims/aquatic skills programs. In 2012, Jack was awarded the Northern New Jersey Council Silver Beaver Award for outstanding service in Scouting.

Jack has earned Wood Badge beads (a good ol' Beaver) in NE II-160 led by Dr. Kenneth King, with fellow Old Guard members Bob Cunniff and Joe Fucito. He served on five Wood Badge staffs, and two National Youth Leadership Training courses. He served as Assistant Scoutmaster to NNJC Troop 510 at National Jamboree 2010, attended by son Evan.

With his daughter Julia, Jack enrolled in Venturing Crew 106 West Orange, and served as Crew Advisor. He brought Crew to Glen Gray for outdoor adventures.

Jack lives in West Orange with wife Audrey, an educator in the North Haledon school system, where they enjoy biking, canoeing, and any beach. He works for NJ TRANSIT as Program Director, Research and Community Services. Thrilled that children Evan and Julia each grew up in outdoors and service - perhaps first sparked by coming to Glen Gray events - including staffing Camp Yaw Paw day camp, Floodwood Mountain Scout Reservation trek guides (Julia as waterfront director), attendance at National Youth Leadership Training. Evan earned his Eagle Scout rank in 2015, and both he and Julia are currently working on advanced degrees.

For more information on the Hall of Fame event and Glen Gray, go to www.glengray.org.