A couple of real troopers

STANWOOD – Chuck and DeeDee Alfieri grew up in large families with lots of children, laughter, noise and memories.

It’s no wonder, DeeDee says, that kids are such a big part of their lives.

“I don’t know what we would do without kids,” she said.

The parents of three, the Alfieris also have been foster parents to 50 infants, they are longtime school volunteers, and in 2006 they were named the Scouting Family of the Year by the Tyee District, Mount Baker Council of Boy Scouts of America.

“The award may as well have been written for the Alfieris,” said Dave Bales, Troop 86 committee chairman. “They are enthusiastic, energetic and just excellent people.”

Chuck, 48, is assistant scoutmaster with Troop 86 of Stanwood, after having served seven years as den leader of Cub Scout Pack 99.

“I get some limelight, but DeeDee has been there the whole way. And many other parents are there doing the work. Nothing would get done without ‘em,” said Chuck, who still carries his North Carolina accent. “One person can’t eat the whole pie. You’d end up with an awful bellyache.”

DeeDee, 43, grew up in Darrington, the daughter of “Tarheel” parents.

As a teenager, she spent a year in North Carolina when her folks, Clyde and Mildred Jones, returned home to spend time with family. That’s where she met Chuck, a Navy veteran and a native of Asheville, N.C.

“Her mama and daddy liked me, so we tied the knot,” he said.

After living in Darrington and for a short while in Alaska, the Alfieris settled in Stanwood. Chuck is a truck mechanic in Smokey Point, but, said DeeDee, his passion is Scouting.

“We teach the boys to be trust worthyloyalhelpfulfriendly courteouskindobedientcheerful thriftybravecleanandreverent,” he said in one big breath.

Chuck has had that Scout Law, “the code of life,” memorized since he was a boy. He eagerly recalls hiking, camping and trips to see Atlanta Braves baseball games with his Scout troop.

“At its core, Scouting helps boys lead healthy lives, become citizens who vote, people who accept others and take on roles of leadership,” he said. “It also helps you feel like you belong and helps you live life to the fullest. We have fun and we are loud. Humor keeps ‘em interested, on their toes.”

His goal as a dad and a Scout leader, Chuck said, is “memory making.”

“Material things come and go, but memories, they’ll always be there,” he said. “We focus on fun and memory making and so far, it’s worked.”

Many camping trips, pinewood car derbies and model boat regattas later, Chuck and DeeDee now are involved in the community service projects Troop 86 undertakes.

Food and clothing drives, tending flower beds for senior citizens, cleaning up after lutefisk dinners, splitting and stacking wood for those in need are among projects too many to remember, DeeDee said.

“The Stanwood community is awesome,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if they know you or not, they are there to support you. The parents here work very hard for their children.”

The Alfieris started their involvement with Scouting in Stanwood when their oldest, Levi, now 14, joined Cub Scouts. Son Jared, 11, recently graduated from the Cub pack to the Scout troop, and daughter Punky, 9, is involved in Girl Scouts.

Along with their school and extra curricular activities, the Alfieri siblings help their parents with the foster care of the infants who periodically come into their home.

“The babies are a lot of hard work, but the kids help quite a bit,” Chuck said. “Everything but changing those messy diapers.”

It’s hectic life, but they wouldn’t have it any other way, DeeDee said. And there will always have to be kids around.

“One way or a’tother,” Chuck said.

For information about donating to, volunteering for or joining the Mount Baker Council of Boy Scouts of America, go online to www.mountbakerbsa.org. The Everett Scouting Service Center can be reached by calling 425-338-0380.

Reporter Gale Fiege, 425-339-3427 or gfiege@heraldnet.com.