We’re excited to bring you another Employee Spotlight – our regular feature that acquaints you with both an ARRO team member and a nonprofit that they – and now ARRO – proudly support. Meet Ed Van Arsdale, a Project Manager II for ARRO Consulting, who works in our Lititz office.
Do you mind telling us a bit about your background and where you call home?
I was born in Delaware County, PA but moved to Holtwood (a small rural town in southern Lancaster County) with my family when I was seven years old. My mother was an ICU nurse and my father worked in the engineering department at an oil refinery. I also have a younger sister who is a teacher in the Harrisburg area.
Where did you go to school? What did you study?
I’m a 2004 Penn State University graduate with a B.S. in Civil Engineering.
What brought you to ARRO? What is your title?
I spent the last 18 years of my career working with private land developers trying to make their visions a reality. When I saw that ARRO had an opportunity to serve communities in this way as a Project Manager, I couldn’t say no!
A nonprofit that you’ve supported for over 25 years is Boy Scouts of America. Can you share what you appreciate the most about their mission?
I appreciate the opportunities that Boy Scouts of America (BSA) provides to young people to gain an appreciation for the outdoors while making lifelong friendships. Scouts are exposed to adventures and experiences that they can’t get anywhere else. The BSA also strives to instill the principles of good citizenship, servant leadership, and self-sufficiency in the youth they serve.
Can you share a few details on what you do for Boy Scouts of America?
I serve in a number of roles, but one of the most crucial is being a Merit Badge Counselor. In this role, I guide kids in learning about a specific hobby that could possibly develop into a career in the future (i.e., engineering, medicine, backpacking, plumbing, scuba diving).
I also serve as a Unit Commissioner. In that role, I use my background in the program to help deliver a positive experience to the troop’s youth. For example, if the leaders of those units have questions about new places to go camping or simply just need to vent their frustrations to someone, I’m the person they call on.
What led you to support BSA?
Scouting has always been a huge part of my family. My grandfather was a Scoutmaster in the 1950s and 1960s, my father was a Boy Scout as a kid, and my uncle is an Eagle Scout. You could say that scouting is in my genes! During my time as a Scout, I was able to make great memories with my friends. I attended camporees at the United States Military Academy and I was able to be a part of a week-long High Adventure trek to Maine where my fellow troop members and I got to plan the entire week (everything from the itinerary to the menu)!
As I grew older, I gained an appreciation for those adult leaders that gave their time and talents. I think the best way to thank those men and women is to pay it forward. I always want to do what I can to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities and experiences. Also, I now get the chance to live vicariously through them—which is always rewarding!
ARRO is excited to support the Boy Scouts of America with a donation. What are a few ways monetary donations are used at BSA?
The BSA uses monetary donations to help maintain and improve its local camp properties. The Pennsylvania Dutch Council has two camps that serve Lancaster (Camp Mack in Brickerville, PA) and Lebanon Counties (Camp Bashore in Jonestown, PA).
Donations are also used to help offset the cost of other activities held throughout the year (breakfast hikes, local camporees, and youth leadership development courses.
Finally, the donations also fund the annual Scouting for Food program, where Scouts collect non-perishable food items for local food banks and shelters to help families in need.
Learn more about this year’s beneficiary, the Boy Scouts of America, and how you can support them at www.scouting.org.