Scouting. Security. Service. What Mr. Dammer has done for our school and community

Mr. Ed Dammer, school security guard, has been serving more than just the school district for the majority of his life. Since his childhood, he’s been providing for others.

“In one form or another” said Dammer, “I have been serving people my entire mature life, since scouting has mostly been about serving the public.”

But, even then, service has existed in his life path since before he was even born. Going back to the 1940s, his family has been fighting in the military to serve the public.

“There’s a lot of military service in my family,” he said. “My Father, my grandfather, my great grandfather. I knew I would probably take that path. Being involved in Scouting and the military really gets you into the mindset for that kind of service.”

For Dammer however, service started as early as second grade, when he joined the Boy Scouts of America.

In Boy Scouts service is required to further one’s rankin the organization, and despite only ever reaching Life rank, one below the esteemed Eagle, Dammer’s knack for service never went away.

“When I graduated high school I went into the Navy, and I guess that’s where it started, it wasn’t necessarily a choice to serve it just kind of worked out that way,” he said “After that I went to college, and after that I joined the state police.”

Just like his father, and grandfather, and great grandfather, Dammer chose to devote his life to serving the public. Even after leaving the Navy, he moved on to a second career that serves the public more directly.

Dammer’s job as a high school security guard is uniquely important in its service, as it gives him an opportunity to help and shape the youth in our town.

“I think the most important of what you could call my community service is youth development, whether through scouting or at the school,” said Dammer, “I think working with scouts gave me a certain background I need to relate to students in high school as a security guard, to have relationships with them.”

Whether it be through Scouting or at the school he serves, Dammer has a unique avenue to touch the lives of MAHS students and Boy Scouts alike.

Some students at the high school know Dammer from both his work at the school and his work with the local Boy Scout council.

One of those students, a sophomore at Montoursville high school, is Gavin Phillips.

“I’ve known Mr. Dammer for a while now,” said Phillips “I believe I first met him at a Scout campout, most likely summer camp. About a year later, I noticed he was our new security guard.”

As Dammer is very active and prominent in the scouting community, just how much he serves our community, as well as Scouting, is easy to find according to Phillips.
“Mr. Dammer has been a very big player in our local scouting activities,” said Phillips. I see him at every campout, Order of the Arrow ceremony, and summer camp. I also frequently see him at service projects. Once, me and my father had come early to a service project to give back to a club that let us use their land to camp. Mr. Dammer was there very early, so we talked for a little bit and he was willing to let me use his newly bought axe (all of the axes there were very bad).”

Dammer himself also believes his continued work, service, and effort with Scouting contribute to his ability to connect with youth as a security guard.

“I think working with Scouts gave me a certain background needed to relate to students in high school as a security guard, to have relationships with them,” said Dammer.

Because of his continued work with kids of high school age and younger through scouting, Dammer is able to talk to that same age group and understand their problems, as well as build connections and relationships with them.

Dammer’s service is not only impressive for how much he has given, but also for how long.

“I’ve been involved in Scouting pretty much all my life,” Dammer said. I took a break while I was in the military, but when my boys got into it I returned and took on various leadership positions.”

Dammer’s unending service to the community and Scouting had not gone unnoticed. Recently, he was awarded with the silver Beaver. The Silver Beaver is the highest award for an adult leader in scouting, given to leaders who go above and beyond in their efforts to help others.