DADE CITY, Fla.––Dr. Sam G. Bala, a surgeon who has traveled around the world to provide free operations for children with cleft palates and the former chairman of the national UM Scouting Ministry Committee, is a recipient of the Silver Torch Award.
The award was presented by First UMC of Dade City, Fla., where Dr. Bala has served as a member of the Administrative Board, the Finance Committee, and the Nominating Committee. He currently serves as treasurer of the UM Men organization.
A native of the Philippines, Dr. Bala graduated from the medical school of Far Eastern University in Manila. He moved to the U.S. in 1973 where he did his general surgery residency at the State University of New York in Stony Brook. He moved to Dade City in 1981 where he operated his own practice for 16 years until he later joined Pasco Surgical Associates. 
Since moving to Dade City, Dr Bala has been involved in several organizations and he is a past president of the Dade City Rotary Club (1988-89). Last May, he convinced the club to bag one million “Stop Hunger Now” packets of dried soy meal, rice, and veggies for hungry people of Third World countries. He has received multiple Paul Harris Fellow honors for Rotary contributions and he is a lifetime member of the International Fellowship of Scouting Rotarians.
Dr. Bala has a long history with scouting. As a young Star Scout, he served as the Boy Scout Mayor of Pasay City in Manila during a 1958 Boy Scout Week. He now serves on the executive board of Boy Scout Troop 402. He received the 2006 Distinguished Citizen Award from the Gulf Ridge Council of the Boy Scouts. He is a member of the Troop and Advancement Committees of Boy Scout Troop 402 and he serves as a merit badge counselor. He also provides annual physicals for the Scouts.
Dr. Bala is the chairman of Diabetes Kids Group. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Petersburg and a member of the Board of Trustees at Pasco Medical Center. He has also has served on the Board of Directors for Pasco Hernando Community College Foundation, and he is associated with East Pasco Habitat for Humanity.
The Silver Torch Award is provided by the General Commission on UM Men to honor adults who have given faithful service to the UMC through Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Camp Fire USA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, 4-H or UM youth groups. A Torch Award is offered to individuals who have led youth-serving organizations on a local level.