Alex Spirikaitis

As a native of the country of Lithuania, Ohio-resident Alex Spirikaitis participates actively in Lithuanian Scouting, a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) that maintains divisions in the Baltic country and abroad. With the membership comprising more than 2,000 scouts today, Lithuanian Scouting traces its roots to 1918. The organization first became a member of WOSM in 1923. Although the Soviet Union banned scouting during its half-century occupation of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Scouts-in-Exile formed robust overseas units in the United States, Canada, and Australia, among other countries. Lithuania regained its independence in 1989, and Lithuanian Scouting rejoined WOSM in 1997. Born in the city of Panevėžys in Lithuania, Alex Spirikaitis relocated to the United States to work for the Cleveland Frog & Crossing Co., the railroad equipment manufacturing company known today as Pettibone Ohio Corp. Alex Spirikaitis continued his involvement with Lithuanian Scouting and received several achievement awards and promotions within the organization. In addition to earning the Vėliavos, Tevynės Dukros, and Už Nuopelnus merit medals, Alex Spirikaitis advanced to the “Skautu” rank of assistant scoutmaster before becoming a scoutmaster eight years later. Today, he lives in the Cleveland area.