Two Eagle Scouts, one a long time community leader the other a committed and caring volunteer took it upon themselves recently to repair and update two of the Welcome to White Center signs that have been posted at the edges of the community for the past few years.

One of the $5,000 White Center Welcome signs was so damaged by graffiti (see photo) that it was unreadable and parts of another sign were stolen.   Eagle Scouts Josh Paley (age 23) and Mark Ufkes (age 65), (Once an Eagle Scout, always an Eagle Scout!) spent the day replacing the damaged sign at 18th and Delridge, and cleaned and re-installed the White Center Rainbow and Welcome in 10 languages portions of the sign at 4th Ave and SW 108th that had been stolen.  

They did this as their “good turn” and to remind everyone that White Center is spectacular, and to celebrate that just this month, we had 12 local girls who became the first group of female Eagle Scouts in American history.   Many adult Scout leaders, including Ufkes, pushed Scouting for years to allow equal access to its exceptional programs regardless of sexual orientation or gender.  

After years of advocating by hundreds of adult Eagle Scouts and parents, in 2018, girls and kids of any sexual orientation were included in Scouting programs and began the minimum two-year process required to complete the rather challenging requirements to become an Eagle Scout.