Peyton Manning was never a Boy Scout himself, but the five-time MVP-winning quarterback can’t help but be connected to Scouting.

He’s reminded of the Boy Scouts of America’s strength within the Denver area and across the country every time he opens the mailbox.

“I get quite a bit of fan mail from mostly parents wanting me to send a congratulatory picture or autograph to their son on becoming an Eagle Scout,” he told a crowd of more than 1,200 on April 16 at the 38th annual Boy Scouts of America Sports Breakfast, benefiting the Denver Area Council.

“I bet it’s a third of the fan mail that I get,” Manning said.

The Super Bowl XLI champion was the keynote speaker at the event, held at the Pepsi Center, which is home to the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche.

Celebrities often collect a fee for these kinds of appearances. So how much did Manning charge the Boy Scouts to show up?

Not a dime.

He said he believes in the Boy Scouts and what they’re doing in Colorado and across the United States. In fact, Manning said, America needs the Boy Scouts now more than ever.

“I don’t know of any time in my life when the Boy Scouts’ focus on values and building a more conscientious, responsible and productive society is as needed as it is today,” he said.

Watch Manning’s opening remarks here on the Denver Broncos’ official site, and read the 303 Magazine piece on the speech here.