Many Eagle Scouts tell us that Scouting shaped their lives in ways they can never fully repay. They share stories of friendships, adventures, and lessons that continue to guide them long after earning their badge—often ending with the same heartfelt question: “What can I do to give back to Scouting and NESA?”
One meaningful way to do so is by becoming a NESA Legacy Society Fellow. Legacy Societies—currently offered through both NESA and the Order of the Arrow—provide an opportunity to strengthen Scouting at both the local and national levels. To become a Fellow, an individual first makes a James E. West Fellowship contribution to their local council, laying the foundation for lasting impact.
We caught up with Eagle Scout Mike Buras to hear why he chose to give back through NESA—and how becoming a Legacy Society Fellow reflects his Scouting journey.
Q: What council are you with and what do you do in Scouting?
A: I am with the Southeast Louisiana Council. I am a Committee Member of Troop 230 in Metairie. Former positions include Cubmaster, District Commissioner, District Chairman, and Council Executive Board. Currently, I serve on the NESA Store Support and NESA Training Teams. Professionally, I have been with AT&T for 53 years, configuring and managing over 4000 Central Office networks in 22 states.
Q: Why did you become a NESA Legacy Society Fellow?
A: My troop disbanded soon after I earned my Eagle in 1965, before NESA was established. I reconnected with Scouting years later as a Tiger Cub Organizer when my son joined, creating our own neckerchiefs, shirts, and flags since the program was brand new. When he earned his Eagle, we both joined NESA.
A Scouting friend introduced me to NESA’s work, and at my first National Jamboree in 2013, I served in the NESA exhibit—an experience that inspired me to become a Life Member. Over the next decade, through friendships and service, I learned more about NESA’s mission and the Legacy Society. In 2023, I became a Legacy Society Fellow, seeing firsthand how those funds strengthen opportunities for Eagle Scouts. Last year, I joined the NESA Scholarship Committee, reviewing applications that showed just how life-changing these scholarships can be.
Q: What NESA-supported programs are especially important to you?
A: After working the Trading Post at the three past National Jamborees, my goal was to help get the NESA Store back up and running. More than a year ago, I was asked to join the NESA Store Support Team and co-manage the trading post at the 2026 National Jamboree. I also joined the NESA Training Team. NESA training needs updating, and I think I can help with the updates.
Q: What would you like to see NESA do in the future?
A: NESA is a great organization, but it needs new ways to keep young Eagles active and engaged. College and career demands often make it hard for them to stay involved, and I hope to help change that. Working with Eagle Scout Maya Kamen, we’ve been exploring ways to reconnect Eagles of all ages and better understand what might bring them back to Scouting. We will present the results during a NESA webinar on December 7.
Q: Do you have a favorite Scouting memory you’d like to share—one that might inspire others to become Fellows?
A: As a youth, I remember weekend campouts, summer camp, and working in the Dining Hall as camp staff—along with the time I accidentally drove the camp truck into the water tower. Years after the camp closed, my son and I walked the grounds, and I shared stories of counselors dressed as Native Americans bringing fire to the closing campfire and of new campers sent to find the “key to the flagpole.” I also remember council camporees and overnight canoe trips that deepened my love for Scouting.
As an adult, I spent 20 years on Winter Camp staff and 15 years at Cub Scout Day Camp, watching hundreds of Scouts earn merit badges and Cubs light up with excitement, shooting BB guns for the first time—or cheering as a helicopter dropped the eggs they had carefully wrapped and hoped would survive the fall.
Looking back, I hope I made a difference in at least one Scout’s life. Scouting and NESA have given me so much, and through the Legacy Society Fellowship, I hope to help others experience the same. I treasure the friendships and adventures Scouting has given me—and want every young person to discover how much Scouting and NESA can give in return.
In giving, you receive.
About the NESA Legacy Society
Established in 2013, the NESA Legacy Society provides a meaningful way to support the National Eagle Scout Association’s endowment fund directly. Contributions to this fund help sustain Eagle Scout scholarships, NESA committee service grants, career networking opportunities, and programs that inspire the next generation of Eagles.
Membership is open to anyone first recognized as a James E. West Fellow, regardless of Eagle Scout or NESA membership status. Contributions to the NESA Legacy Society are intended to complement, not replace, an individual’s regular support of their local council’s fundraising efforts. A minimum gift of $1,000 secures membership as a NESA Legacy Society Fellow and grants the honor of wearing the silver NESA Legacy Society Eagle device on the James E. West knot.
For more information on becoming a NESA Legacy Society Fellow, visit: nesa.org/awards-and-recognition/nesa-legacy-society/
