The National Court of Honor of the Boy Scouts of America will recognize Carlos Arboleya’s 53 years of adult service with the BSA’s oldest and highest commendation for extraordinary and truly noteworthy service of a national character to Scouting and the youth of America — the Silver Buffalo Award.
One of South Florida’s most recognized businessmen, Arboleya’s success story is that of the American dream. After arriving in Miami in 1959 from Cuba, he rose from an inventory clerk to vice president at a shoe factory. He then reentered banking, the industry in which he worked in Cuba. In a short time, Arboleya made a name for himself.
He continuously used the recognition to support the community and his true passion, working for the advancement and guidance of local youth. It is this passion that has led to Arboleya’s participation in the Boy Scouts of America.
The success of Hispanic Scouting in South Florida is attributed largely to Arboleya’s leadership, commitment and effort, both personally and financially. He recruited and trained the manpower to lead and organize troops in Miami’s Hispanic community. He is the founder of the Lincoln-Marti Boy and Girl Scout Camporee, held at the Carlos J. Arboleya Camping and Picnic Grounds in Miami for the past 43 years, which is attended by approximately 3,500 Scouts annually.
Arboleya is a recipient of numerous Scouting awards, including the Silver Beaver Award on the council level, the Silver Antelope Award on the regional basis, the Vale la Pena (It Is Worthwhile) national award, the St. George Award from the National Catholic Committee on Scouting and the Cuban Silver Fleur-de- Lis symbolizing the Scout movement in Cuba before communism.
Created in 1925, the first Silver Buffalo Award was conferred upon Lord Baden- Powell, founder of the Scouting movement and Chief Scout of the World, with other notable recipients including: Charles A. Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker, James A. Lovell Jr., John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Norman Rockwell, Charles M. Schulz, Walt Disney, Hank Aaron, Vince Lombardi, Bob Hope, Marian Anderson, Irving Berlin, Art Linkletter, Marian Wright, H. Ross Perot, J.W. Marriott, General Colin L. Powell, Bill Gates and 14 presidents of the United States.
The Silver Buffalo Award will be presented to Arobleya at the national annual meeting of the Boy Scouts of America in Dallas, TX, on May 24.
For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, visit www.scouting.org
