Scout Leader Doug McHale Leaves A Legacy

Photo of Doug McHale from Tom Christiano

On Monday morning, September 20, 2010, Doug McHale, a resident of Twinbrook and dedicated Boy Scout leader lost his fight with brain and lung cancer. He spent his last days at Casey House in Rockville surrounded by his family.

Mr. McHale served in combat duty in Vietnam. The type of brain cancer he had was very indicative of exposure to Agent Orange which he experienced during the war.

He was the former Scoutmaster of Troop 447 in Rockville from 1998 to 2005. He also served as a District Scouter and trainer.  He upheld the highest standards of Scouting and marshalled many scouts to become Eagles, the highest award in scouting.

This past summer during the last Eagle Scout Ceremony he would officiate, he gave the Oath and the Charge to Alex Opryzsko. Although he was struggling with his illness, he still found the strength to support this young man he had helped since he first joined scouting. When he arrived he took one look at Alex’s Military Low Quarter shoes and announced he was glad he didn’t need to polish those anymore as he did during his military service.

Alex’s fondest memory was of a knot tying contest between Mr. McHale and Nick Lopreiato. Mr McHale was the absolute best at knots. They raced to see who could tie the seven basic knots the quickest and Nick failed. He then trained for a few months and wound up winning. He challenged the boys to push them to succeed.

Current Troop 447 Scoutmaster, Tim Christiano, knows how much Mr. McHale has meant to the Scouting program. He continued to serve as a merit badge counselor and attended campouts and summer camp.

His passing is a huge loss for Scouting and Troop 447 in particular. He was a tremendous part of our history and our present program. He will be greatly missed.

Marilyn Green, who’s son Daniel is in Troop 447, explained Mr. McHale’s importance in the life of her son and many others.

My son is proud that Doug considered him one of his Eagle Scouts. The impact he has had on so many boys’ lives will never be fully known. He also spent years training people in pool safety, CPR, and first aid. We’ll never know how many lives his training saved.

Both his sons, Kyle and Kevin, attained the highest award of Eagle Scout under his guidance. They also served as Senior Patrol Leaders, which demonstrates the respect they earned from their fellow scouts and their ability to lead a troop of peers.

This past summer, Troop 447 visited Camp Resica Falls. Coincidentily this was the camp where Mr. McHale spent his summers as a youth and worked at as a counselor. His sons, although adults now,  joined the Troop to share this special place with him one last time. The current Boy Scouts collected bark and wrote “Thank You From Troop 447″ on separate pieces which they tied together with rope like a ladder and hung from the top of an extremely large bonfire held in his honor.

On a personal level, he was the District Unit Commissioner for my Cub Scout Pack 928, which means he visited my Pack and advised me on how to be a quality unit and attain the highest standards. His guidance, stories, and training always made us better prepared. During one of our Pack’s family dinners he explained that when his wife broke her arm, his son had jumped into action with the first aid knowledge he had learned in scouting. At the hospital, medical personnel did exactly what his son had done. His son realized the only difference was in the quality of their supplies.

Mr. McHale saw the positive results of the scouting program for the boys he had trained and knew its value for their lives. His volunteer service touched hundreds of youth and adults throughout the years and his legacy will live on through all of them.

A remembrance gathering will be held for him this Saturday, September 25, at 5:00 p.m. at American Legion Post 86 (2013 Viers Mill Road, Rockville. ) Doug was a member of the American Legion. He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, October 25, 2010.

If you are willing, Doug requested a donation to one of the following be made in lieu of flowers:

Boy Scouts of America: National Area Council
Fischer House Foundation
Montgomery Hospice – Casey House

Share and enjoy:

Hide Sites