Our People of the Century Loren Riggins Sr., Jr.: Setting New Standards for       Helping Boy Scouts

The name Riggins almost always brings the conversation to Boy Scouting.

Understandably so.

The Boy Scouts of America this year honored Loren Riggins, Jr. with its highest commendation, the Silver Buffalo Award.

The 74-year-old chairman of the Riggins Oil Co. has also received the Silver Beaver, and the Silver Antelope awards for his local and regional contributions. But the national recognition tops anything that has gone before.

“It was overwhelming – I didn’t know whether to jump for joy or to cry,” said Riggins, reflecting on the phone call from Boy Scout national headquarters in Texas telling him of the award.

Dave Parry, Southern New Jersey Boy Scout Council executive, compares the Silver Buffalo to a Medal of Honor in the service. Since it exception in the 1920s, the award has been typically bestowed upon U.S. Presidents, Charles Lindbergh, Gen. Colin Powell, James Lovell, and other national heroes.

Riggins took 12 family members and six of his Eagle Scouts with him to the award ceremony.

“Imagine an award like that going to me, a little country boy from New Jersey,” Riggins said.

Parry could think of no one more deserving.

“We have a lot of great volunteers, but I’ve never met one who’s had an impact in as many ways as he has – from working with the boys to making long-range administrative decisions,” said Parry, whose been involved in Boy Scouts since he was 11.

Since stepping back from the family business his father, Loren Sr., started in 1925, Riggins volunteers at the Southern New Jersey headquarters and resource center that bears his name. He led the campaign for construction of the 6,600-square-foot Loren Riggins Jr. Resource Center built on 10 acres in Millville donated by the Riggins family.

Two years ago, Riggins gave a $1 million deferred gift to the regional council’s endowment fund.

And he’s been busy for the past several years successfully seeking donations for Camp Roosevelt in Elmer. Among these donations are a $100,000 swimming pool, and a $40,000 parking lot.

“He’s here every day,” Parry said. “He’s very personable – tenacious and goal-oriented. Give him a challenge and he rises to it.”

“He’s a good scout.”

It’s a tradition in the Riggins family. Eagle scouts are the norm. And so is sharing success with the community.

Loren Sr., who died in 1995 at 93, set a precedent of giving. Boy Scouts, the South Vineland United Methodist Church and the YMCA of Vineland and Millville have all benefited from Riggins’s generosity.

In fact, Loren Sr. was a professional scout executive before he went into business for himself. Finding it difficult to support his family on the wages, he bought the feed company that grew into Riggins Oil.

But he never forgot scouting. He was a volunteer Scoutmaster and lifelong contributor.

Loren Jr. tagged along with his father, and then joined Scouts when he was 12. He is an Eagle Scout, as are his three sons and grandson.

“I think it’s the greatest organization in the world for young people,” Riggins said.