ROCKFORD—Paul Logli has given 25 years to the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting as the chairman and is now retiring.
But 25 years isn’t all he has given to scouting.
Logli, a parishioner of the Cathedral of St. Peter, spent much of his youth active in a troop sponsored by the Catholic Church. He eventually earned the rank of Eagle Scout, scouting’s highest honor, which he says “cemented my commitment to scouting.”
The values of scouting spilled into Logli’s life as an attorney, prosecutor and his long career as the Winnebago County States Attorney, then into his almost equally long career as the CEO of the United Way of Rock River Valley. During it all, he stayed active in scouting on the advisory board of the Blackhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America in addition to serving on the Catholic committee. His list of volunteer and advisory positions is long and varied and, again, reflects so many things he learned during his scouting journey.
Logli said he was recruited to assist the diocese by the late Msgr. William Schwartz and then was appointed to the scouting committee by Bishop Thomas G. Doran.
He leaves the committee in good hands with Bob McLear, who Bishop David Malloy appointed as chairman in late January. McLear has served the committee as secretary and was in charge of communications prior to succeeding Logli.
The committee is responsible for the religious scout awards and assisting at scout religious events organized by Scout BSA councils in the Diocese of Rockford.
“Scouting for young people is fundamental in building confidence and self-esteem and values that stay instilled in them for a lifetime. The values taught and lived in scouting certainly align well with the Catholic Church,” Logli said.
“Scouting has certainly made my life better,” Logli told The Observer by phone while traveling out of state.
Even though there are so many choices that pull young people this way and that, Logli advises young people to simply “give scouts a chance.”
