BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Ron Denmark was this year’s honoree at the Bradford American Values Dinner, which was held April 22 at Starke’s Gov. Charley E. Johns Conference Center.
The annual event is a fundraiser for Boy Scouts of America’s North Florida Council. Almost $22,000 was raised through this year’s dinner.
Starke City Commissioner Bob Milner, the event’s dinner chair, introduced Denmark.
“Most people know Ron as the owner of Pipeline Constructors,” Milner said. “He and his wife, Jo Ann, also have Denmark Mini Storage.
“He actually had a little bit of a life before this.”
That life before included Denmark graduating from Jacksonville’s Ed White High School (also his wife’s alma mater) and earning an AA degree at what was then Florida Junior College and is now known as Florida State College at Jacksonville.
Milner said Denmark worked for Farm Bureau before striking out on his own and opening an independent insurance agency.
Denmark sold the agency and began Pipeline Constructors with his father, Roy, in 1987.
Milner said it’s impressive to be in your 20s and start your own business in a field you’ve never worked in before.
“Seriously, that takes a lot of grit,” Milner said.
Pipeline began with Denmark and his father working from home. The business grew and is now established in Starke with more than 160 employees.
Denmark and his wife have been married 45 years and have three children (Evan, Katy and Sara), four grandchildren and one grandchild on the way.
Milner said he knows Denmark and his wife well through their service at the Starke church they all attend.
“They have been active at Madison Street Baptist Church for the 45 years that they’ve been married,” Milner said. “That’s amazing today — not only to be married to the same person for 45 years, but to be active in the same church.”
When Denmark took the stage, he admitted he was wondering what he could say, being one who’s not used to talking before a crowd. However, he said one thing that’s easy for him to talk about is his youth — a youth that was influenced by Scouting. Denmark said he had a brother who was in Scouting first. When he heard about the experiences he was having, he couldn’t wait to become a Scout himself.
Denmark talked about being what was known as a “Tenderfoot” at age 11.
“Of course, you don’t know anything (at that age),” he said. “You just want to go camping. That’s all you want to do.”
His first camping experience led to a funny story. Denmark said the Patrol of older boys were cooking something that was producing a lot of smoke. One of the Patrol members asked him to go to another Patrol and ask for a “smoke catcher.” Denmark said, “I trotted off, went over there and said, ‘Can I borrow your smoke catcher?’”
Denmark realized he was the butt of a joke when he was met with laughter.
“I knew I had been had,” he said.
He recounted another amusing story that took place just within the last couple of years. Denmark said he remembered he and his fellow Scouts being dropped off along the side of the road to hike the rest of the way to what was then known as the Baden Powell Campground.
“Now, at 10 or 11 years old, I had no idea where this was,” Denmark said.
He found out as an adult when he became aware of Baden Powell Road and where it was located — in the Hawthorne-Melrose area.
Denmark, who earned the rank of Life Scout, described his time in Scouting as made up of “fun experiences.” He said what he didn’t realize at the time, of course, was that he was being taught structure and leadership.
“There is a person I’m sure you all know — the founder of Chik-fil-A, Truett Cathy,” Denmark said. “He authored a book. It’s called, ‘It’s Better to Build Boys than Mend Men.’ Scouting helps do that. I’m glad I was a part of it.”
Bradford County Manager Scott Kornegay, who served as the American Values Dinner emcee, talked of the North Florida Council, which serves Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and Union counties.
“Tonight, I am pleased to report that here across north Florida, we are serving over 8,900 youth and 2,800 adult volunteers,” Kornegay said. “We partner with 151 local churches and civic and community organizations to bring a quality program to our youth on a weekly basis. Here in Bradford County, Scouting grew over 25 percent just in the last year alone.”
Kornegay thanked those in attendance for their support in providing youth with “this vital, character-building citizenship training and physical-fitness experience.”
“Tonight’s event will help provide a safe, quality program to our youth and adults,” Kornegay said. “Included in this are underprivileged youth, who need assistance to enjoy a quality Scouting program. Your gifts will help provide books and uniforms and help send them to camp.”
Milner said Scouting is as valuable as it has always been.
“Scouting today still instills the kind of values and ethics and character in young men and women that are so desperately needed in this country,” Milner said. “Your support here — your pledge and any donations you make — will be well-utilized, I promise you.”
The 2025 Bradford American Values Dinner host committee consisted of Kornegay, Virginia Griffis, Edrick Hamilton, Courtney Padgett, Scott Roberts and Pam Whittle.
J.B. Coxwell Contracting Inc. was a Gold Sponsor, while Silver Sponsors were Fortiline Waterworks, G’s Slow-Smoked BBQ, Miracle Automotive and Towing, Pipeline Constructors Inc. and Smith Trucking Company Inc.
