The Torch of Gold Award is a council award recognizing adult volunteers for service to Scouting with special needs and abilities. Each council may present one Torch of Gold Award every year.

Nomination: Publicize the award in council newsletters and online venues. Volunteers in the council’s special needs and disabilities programs should also nominate people active in those programs. Use the posted nomination form: filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-945.pdf

Selection: Establish a committee to select new recipients. The committee may be part of the council’s Advancement Committee or its Special Needs and Disabilities Committee. Ideally, the committee should consist of previous recipients. Candidates should have at least three years of active service in Scouting with special needs or disabilities. The committee is not obliged to present the award if there is no appropriate candidate.

Presentation: Present the award at a council event, like the annual awards banquet. The council may present the Award Medal, item 645077, the Award Pin, item 645078, and/or the Award Certificate, item 33733.

Following the presentation, the council’s recipient should be nominated for the Woods Services Award, a national award recognizing service to Scouting with special needs and disabilities. Every council may nominate one of their volunteers for the Woods Services Award. The nomination must be approved by the council’s Scout Executive. The annual deadline is December 31. The Woods Services Award nomination form is posted online: filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-258.pdf