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Earlier, after the event's co-chair, real estate attorney Jonathan Mechanic of Fried Frank, recognized past honorees, he introduced local Boy Scouts who led audience in the Pledge of Allegiance as well as recitation of the Scout Oath and Law. Later, after thanking attendees for their generosity, the featured Scout speaker, Brooklyn Troop 238's Michael David Migdal, told of camping trips in the forest and the importance of leaving a campsite cleaner than you originally found it.

A ninth grader, Migdal reminded the audience "kids need good role models." And, in a testament to the 21st century, Migdal said Scouting had incorporated some of the gifts brought by the advent of high technology. For instance, while scouts still utilize a compass, they also rely on GPS, and although the book version is still widely in use, there is now an iPhone app of the Boy Scout Handbook.

Since 1921, the New York BSA council says it has "instilled over five million young people with values and character." Starting in 1963 with Charles F. Noyes, the annual "Good Scout Reunion Luncheon" has honored such real estate industry heavyweights as Lewis Rudin, Peter Malkin, Douglas Durst, Stephen Siegel, Bruce Mosler and Mitchell Rudin. In 1966, the Good Scout award went to Harry B. Helmsley. Then in 1981, in an apparent "first and only" move, the award was presented to Harry's wife, Leona M Helmsley.

As an interesting New York City side-note, composer Irving Berlin, designated that the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of New York City would share all the royalties from his song "God Bless America."