VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — "When you look back on it, it's...it's memories that you're never gonna forget", Norm Aurland is reflecting — retiring after 33 years as a volunteer scoutmaster for Troop 471 in Virginia Beach.
Under his leadership, he helped produce 130 Eagle Scouts and was instrumental is helping launch an opportunity for girls to join this troop.
During a recent scout meeting at Salem United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach, we showed to surprise him and when he saw our cameras, he let out a smile sensing something was up, "Kurt — You're killing me, man!" I asked him if he knew what was going on, "You know, not really. I mean, a little bit. My wife said you'd have to be here tonight."
It's because we were about to surprise him with a News 3 Everyday Hero award for his impact as a scoutmaster.
During his more than three decades of volunteer work, Aurland has had a profound impact on the scouts he mentors. Nathan Minton is one of the 130 Eagle Scouts produced during Aurland's time as scoutmaster.
"Joined the troop in 2020, was very shy. He's helped me become who I am today. Someone I can look up to and ask for help and will always be there for me," Minton said.
Aurland wiped away tears when discussing his impact on the scouts, but credited the community for the troop's success.
"It's a big deal. Didn't do it alone," Aurland said. "Had a lot of good people around me surrounding me."
Fellow troop members echoed the importance of Norm's leadership. Mike Martin is the troop's committee chairman, "Oh, it's indescribable. It would, it would, you know, it, it would be hard to picture what this troop would look like without Norm," Mike Martin said.
Another example of that, Norm was instrumental in helping girls joining this particular troop, which was launched a few months ago, "Because we felt that it's obviously the right thing to do," Aurland said.
The new troop is already attracting members like Charlotte Delphia. "Because I wanted to be with my brother," Delphia said.
Fellow scout Emelia Martinez is already looking forward to the troop's upcoming activities.
"Going to summer camp," Martinez said.
For all those reasons we presented Norm with an Everyday Hero Award and a $425 gift certificate from community partner Southern Bank.
Instead of keeping the reward, Aurland immediately donated the money back to the troop to fund a campership for a scout in need.
"We don't want a parent to ever have to think about that, try to figure out where the money comes from, so we do that. So I'm gonna take and donate this right back to the troop campership," Aurland said.
