Eagle Scout Court of Honor

A few photos from our son's Eagle Court of Honor

Isaac's Eagle Court of Honor was last Saturday (Sept. 8.) Keely should have been in the above photo with Isaac, Dennis, and me, but as you can see, we didn't get her corralled. She and Taurus, her boyfriend, were a huge help in setting up for the reception and serving it.

We put balloons on the tables and sprinkled red and blue star confetti down their centers. I baked homemade rolls for turkey and ham sandwiches and three kinds of cookies. We also had deviled eggs, chips and dip, other finger foods, cake, and punch.

Here, Isaac reaffirms the Scout Oath during the ceremony. The Court of Honor was led by several former scoutmasters of Isaac's troop. The program included a candle-lighting ceremony, "Trail of the Eagle." "Voice of the Eagle," and "Eagle Charge," all of which are traditional in this troop for Eagle Courts of Honor.

Our pastor, Rev. James Redmann, was the guest speaker. Pastor Redmann has known Isaac since he was 2 years old, and he's definitely had an influence upon Isaac's upbringing. Since Isaac had to stand through the entire ceremony, he was thankful that Pastor got to the point and didn't talk too long.

This photo is for people who are looking for ideas for their sons' Eagle Scout ceremonies. This is a Science Fair board. I spray-painted the back of it black. The photos are of Isaac, taking part in various Scouting activities through the years. Sometimes people set up a laptop with a slide show, but this worked well enough. The other Scouts enjoyed finding themselves in some of the photos and reminiscing about the circumstances.

Several days later, I have almost recovered from this event. All in all, it was pretty exhausting. My advice, if you are planning an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, is to start early, get lots of help, and plan thoroughly. We planned well enough, but we should have started earlier with things like getting the programs printed, and we probably should have asked for more help. However, the ceremony went very smoothly and so did the reception, much to my relief!

Related:
13 Things To Do Before an Eagle Scout Award Ceremony
Learn more about Isaac's Eagle Scout service project in the posts labeled "Boy Scouts"

13 Things To Do Before an Eagle Scout Award Ceremony

A Thursday Thirteen

Do as many of these things as possible several weeks in advance!

1. Find a date and time that will work out for the greatest number of people possible.

2. Arrange to use the place where you'll have the ceremony.

3. Get a guest speaker.

4. Use scripts and programs of past Eagle Scout award ceremonies to help you develop a script and a program.

5. Make copies of the script for all the adults who will be in the ceremony.

6. Make a guest list and send out invitations.

7. Go to the Scout store and buy blank programs, napkins, cups, etc. with the Eagle emblem if you want them. Also, buy the Eagle Scout neckerchief and slide.

8. Get the programs printed.

9. Find a recipe if you're having punch at the reception. Order the cake if you're having one made.

10. Decide what else you're going to serve, make a list of everything, and go shopping.

11. Ask someone to take pictures. Ask other people to help with serving at the reception.

12. Make sure all the Scouts and adults in the ceremony know how to find the place where the ceremony will be held.

13. Make sure the Eagle Scout candidate's uniform is clean and ready to wear.

UPDATE:

A few more suggestions, written with hindsight:

• Set up a guestbook.
• Write out a complete menu so you don't forget anything you planned to serve (like the carrot sticks.)
• Bring some ziplock bags for packing any leftovers.
• Make time for some formal pictures either before or after the ceremony.

Eagle Scout Ceremony This Saturday

Important event for Isaac

Our son's Eagle Scout award ceremony will be held on Saturday afternoon. It's a major achievement for a Boy Scout to earn his Eagle badge, so this is a special event for Isaac. I'll be busy getting things together for the next few days. I can't say when or if I'll be posting to the blog, but I rarely abandon Prairie Bluestem completely. :)

Paramilitary, not Boy Scout

And What I Think About It...

I am not holding this poor girl's feet to the fire over what she said, but I wish she had used the word "paramilitary," not "Boy Scout". Perhaps the only uniform she's ever seen was a Boy Scout shirt and that's why it came to mind as she tried to describe the horrific ordeal she had been survived. I truly am not criticizing her.

I do think it is odd that the AP chose to use the direct quote, associating the killer's attire with a Boy Scout outfit.

Erin Sheehan, who was in the German class near Calhoun's room, told the student newspaper, the Collegiate Times, that she was one of only four of about two dozen people in the class to walk out of the room. The rest were dead or wounded, she said.

She said the gunman "was just a normal-looking kid, Asian, but he had on a Boy Scout-type outfit. He wore a tan button-up vest, and this black vest, maybe it was for ammo or something." (Source)

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Proud of My Eagle Scout

All In The Family...

This weekend, Isaac passed his board of review for Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank advancement in Boy Scouts.

Earning this badge is a real milestone. Isaac has invested a lot of time and effort in Boy Scouts over the last six years. In that time, he has earned 55 merit badges, camped over 90 nights and backpacked 80 miles.

The last big requirement for Eagle Scout is the service project. The Scout has to plan and execute a project that provides service to a worthy institution and demonstrates his ability to lead others.

Isaac's Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project was the restoration of an old country cemetery. He coordinated this with the Christian County Genealogical Society.

In all, 317.5 hours were put into the project. This included the time that Isaac spent in planning, preparing, working, following up, and the time given by all the volunteers who helped with the project in various ways.

Isaac had to prepare a plan and appear before the Eagle Board of Review to get the project approved. Then he had to carry out the plan, write an extensive report and submit it with three letters of recommendation to the Boy Scouts district office. When District had approved it, he appeared before the local Eagle Board of Review and presented his report to them.

He was a happy young man when he was awarded the advancement, and we're proud of him. We'll be planning an Eagle Court of Honor for him sometime soon. I'm not sure if we'll wait until school is out or try to squeeze it in before then. Soon Isaac will be busy with all the end-of-school activities and events of a high school senior.

Related posts:
Eagle Project is Taking Shape
Packs of Cows
Eagle Project Begun
Peaceful Valley

Last Letter to the Scouts

History and Old Stuff...

Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell (1857-1941), a soldier of considerable renown and the founder of Boy Scouts, was born 150 years ago today in London,.

I searched around the internet this afternoon for some information about Baden-Powell for Dennis to share with the boys at Scouts tonight, and I came across the following letter which was found in Baden-Powell's papers after his death. In it, he recorded for the Scouts some of his ideas about happiness.

Dear Scouts,

If you have ever seen the play Peter Pan you will remember how the pirate chief was always making his dying speech because he was afraid that possibly when the time came for him to die he might not have time to get it off his chest. It is much the same with me, and so, although I am not at this moment dying, I shall be doing so one of these days and I want to send you a parting word of good-bye.

Remember, it is the last you will ever hear from me, so think it over.

I have had a most happy life and I want each one of you to have as happy a life too.

I believe that God put us in this jolly world to be happy and enjoy life. Happiness doesn't come from being rich, nor merely from being successful in your career, nor by self-indulgence. One step towards happiness is to make yourself healthy and strong while you are a boy, so that you can be useful and so can enjoy life when you are a man.

Nature study will show you how full of beautiful and wonderful things God has made the world for you to enjoy. Be contented with what you have got and make the best of it. Look on the bright side of things instead of the gloomy one.

But the real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Try and leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best. "Be Prepared" in this way, to live happy and to die happy-- stick to your Scout promise always-- even after you have ceased to be a boy-- and God help you to do it.

Your Friend,
Baden-Powell

This text is available on many internet sites.



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Peaceful Valley

Life in Christian County, Kentucky... The Rural Life...

Isaac (with the help of his Scout troop) has cleaned and repaired an old overgrown cemetery for his Eagle Scout service project. This photo is taken from inside the cemetery, looking out across the valley.

I think there are worse places to be buried. It's quiet and very peaceful. Time progresses by seasons, not by minutes and hours. Now the landscape is brown, but soon it will be green. Then birds will nest in the trees and calves will frolic in the pasture for a time before the cold winds blow again.

Isaac has disrupted nature with his chopping and mowing and hauling off, but when spring comes, she will begin again to reclaim this place.






Related posts:
Eagle Project Begun
Eagle Project is Taking Shape

One year ago today on Prairie Bluestem, I related a few stories about Kentucky vultures.

Pennyrile State Forest

Life in Christian County, Kentucky...

This morning Dennis and I went over to the Pennyrile State Forest, some 15 miles northwest of Hopkinsville. Dennis was looking for a few future camping spots for the Boy Scouts. (I don't remember if I've mentioned that he is the Scoutmaster of Isaac's troop this year.)

The forester was very helpful. He showed us around the headquarters area where the boys will be camping one weekend soon for their "Freeze Out" and pointed out some potential campsites on the forest map for warmer weather.

He said we'd be able to drive one of the forest roads with no trouble in our car, so we gave it a try. Recent rains have washed the road down to bedrock on some of the steep inclines, but we were able to get through all right. Eventually the road reached the top of a ridge and stayed there for a while.

There's a fairly new hiking trail (Pennyrile Nature Trail) that leads from somewhere near the State Park headquarters, through the Pennyrile Forest and on to the edge of Dawson Springs, a little town that lies north of the forest. The trail meanders through 13 miles of woodlands, and according to Dennis's hiking book, it is a fairly strenuous trek, but the scenery is great.

Dennis got excited when we saw some of the little black-and-white PNT (Pennyrile Nature Trail) signs on the trees where it crossed our road. He has been entertaining the idea of taking his backpack and spending a few days walking the trail and camping this spring. I think Isaac should go with him. He doesn't need to push his luck, especially since cell phones don't work in the forest. (Yes, I'm paranoid!)

The Pennyrile Forest (approximately 14,500 acres), the Tradewater Wildlife Management Area (approximately 725 acres) and the Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park (approximately 850 acres) share custody of Kentucky's largest state-owned woodland area. During the Depression, these rocky ridges were purchased from impoverished farmers under the New Deal. The people were re-settled elsewhere, and pines were planted on the land they had cultivated. The ridges were left in their native hardwoods. Two manmade lakes lie within the area: Pennyrile Lake and Lake Beshear.

Related website: Pixel's Travels. (Scroll down the page to "05 June 19: Pennyrile State Resort Park", and click the link to view 37 photos.)

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Eagle Project Begun

All In The Family... Life in Christian County, KY...

The breeze that is blowing tonight would be refreshing if it were summer, but it's a cold wind when it's 35 degrees outside.

I'm warm here in the house. I have a nice fire going in the wood stove and both cats are stretched out in front of it, asleep.

Dennis and Isaac are camping out tonight with the Scouts. I am not too worried about them. Isaac has two sleeping bags with him, and he'll be in a tent. Dennis has a sleeping bag and a couple of wool blankets. He said he was going to sleep in the truck in his insulated coveralls and if he got cold, he'd start the truck. He probably won't even need his sleeping bag.

I have camped a few times in similar temperatures. It's not too bad as long as you're warm enough to sleep. If you can't get warm in your bed, though, it's a long miserable night.

The campout follows a work day for Isaac's Eagle Scout project. They cleared about a third of the old cemetery he's restoring and cut several dead trees . It looks like there will be more broken tombstones than we had thought. They found several covered in the overgrowth.

Mr. H., the landowner, told us that slaves were buried in the cemetery along with the families who owned them. He said their graves are "marked with limestone". I think he was talking about some of the small rectangular stones with no writing or with initials only that the guys found today under the tangle of vegetation.

Mr. H. also said that he has buried two dogs in the cemetery. He thought of them as members of his family. He meant no disrespect to the people who are buried there.

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Related post: Eagle Project Is Taking Shape



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Packs of Cows

Life in Christian County, Kentucky...

I talked to my elderly neighbor on the telephone this afternoon. For Isaac's Eagle Scout project, the Boy Scouts will be cleaning the old cemetery where her grandparents are buried. The first workday will be next Saturday, and we were talking about where the Scouts might camp that night.

Ms. M. explained that it wouldn't be a good idea for them to camp on her farm. She's seen so many copperhead snakes there over the years that she's afraid someone might get bit, and her son who lives on the place says that the cows have started to run in packs. She doesn't know if they would attack anyone or not, but she doesn't want to take a chance.

When I hung up, I told Dennis that Ms. M. had cows on the farm now and that they were running in packs. He gave me a funny look and commented that usually groups of cows were called "herds", not "packs."

Later in the evening, I went over to Ms. M.'s house to get a package she had for me, and she wanted to talk some more about the Scouts' camp-out. She said it made her mad that the wildlife people had ever released those cows here -- and finally, I understood.

It's not cows that are running in packs on her farm. It's cowts! Coyotes, that is. (I'm relieved!)

Actually, Ms. M. was pronouncing the word as I do (kī'ōt') but with the accent of this area. I just wasn't listening carefully!

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Eagle Project Is Taking Shape

All In The Family... Life in Christian County, Kentucky... The Rural Life...

Isaac's been working on the service project that's required for the rank of Eagle Scout. We've been meditating on it for about six months, and now he's finally getting everything pulled together so he can finish it up. It has to be done before his 18th birthday, so it's now (this school year) or never!

The requirement is to "plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community." To fulfill this, Isaac's going to restore an old cemetery in our neighborhood. The community groups that will benefit are the elderly neighbors who have ancestors buried there and the Christian County Genealogical Society.

The gentleman who used to oversee an annual cleaning of the cemetery has passed away. Other folks whose ancestors are buried there are elderly themselves. In fact, Isaac chose this project because our 80-year-old neighbor lady is distressed about the condition of this cemetery. Her grandparents were buried there in 1929.

Tomorrow night, Isaac's going to describe the project to the Christian County Genealogical Society. After the cemetery is cleaned, he'll report all the data from the gravestones to them. Maybe this will be a "new" cemetery to them -- but probably not.

This cemetery is located about 1/4 mile off a backroad in a neighbor's pasture. No one has been buried there for about 35 years, and there are about 40 graves there in all (we think). Most of the graves are from 1850 to 1930 and have one of three family names. Our elderly neighbor lady remembers that when she was a little girl, she and her mother walked several miles on a little path through the woods to bring flowers for her grandparents' graves.

Last spring we counted seventeen tombstones that have fallen over and four more that have fallen and broken. A few more may be hidden in the tangle of grass. Isaac's plans include clearing the overgrowth, standing up the fallen stones, and repairing and standing up the broken stones (if possible). A couple of dead trees will be removed, minor repairs will be made to the fence, and the gate will be painted.

One part of the project's requirements is that the Scout has to raise the money needed. Fortunately we don't think that will be a problem. Several of the neighbors have already offered donations, and the elderly lady I mentioned above has offered to take up a collection from family members.

It shouldn't cost much money, anyway. Most of what is needed is work, and that will be provided by the Scouts in Isaac's troop and other volunteers. The biggest expense will probably be feeding the boys on their three workdays.

After Isaac gets an OK from the Genealogical Society (hopefully, tomorrow night), he has to present his project to the Eagle Scout Board of Review at the end of October and get their seal of approval. Then, the Scouts can begin the work. It will be a good time of year for it, because the snakes should be hibernating (or at least feeling sluggish) in November's cooler weather!

After the work is done, Isaac has to report back to the Genealogical Society and ask for a statement that he has successfully completed his plan. Then he goes back to the Board of Review and presents his application for Eagle Scout rank. We'll be proud when he gets it all done. Well, we're proud of him already, but you know what I mean.


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Moms in Scouting

All In The Family...Life in Christian County,Kentucky...

Our Boy Scout troop is really short of male leaders right now. Most of the boys have dads, but most of the dads work nights and weekends. Unfortunately, those are the times that most Scouting takes place.

Everytime the Scouts do anything, a minimum number of adult leaders has to be with them. We have just a couple men who can make it to some meetings and activities. Dennis is supposed to be the Scoutmaster, but he can't do much at present due to his broken bones.

Thus, moms are trying to take up the slack this year. It's a big change for this troop, because for many years (up until the early months of 2006,) enough dads have always been available.

Tonight, they asked for a couple of moms to volunteer for an upcoming camping trip. It will be just a day and a night. I said I'd go, and finally, another mom volunteered as well. I have to commend her for having an adventurous spirit. She's like me -- no spring chicken, but she's still raising a son. I'm not sure she's ever camped before. She works at a bank.

Later, Isaac told me, "Mom, you're the toughest one of those women." That's his opinion, not mine, but I was happy he thought so. I will wager that I'm the only one of them who has her own tent.

It's funny to think about the other Scout moms and wonder who'd survive in the woods. I wonder if Scout dads size each other up like that.

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Boy Scouts

Eagle Scout Ceremony

Life in Christian County, Kentucky...

Yesterday, we went to the Eagle Scout ceremony of John H., Seth B. and Tom B. Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of the three boys, because I was very busy serving punch at the reception after the ceremony. These photos were taken before the ceremony began.

The dining room decorated in Scout colors for the reception

The sanctuary of First Christian Church as people gathered. Natural light from the high windows helps to create a pleasant atmosphere in this worship place.

Morningside Neighborhood in Hopkinsville, KY

A village within the city

First Christian Church

Many German villages, towns, and even city neighborhoods are centered around an imposing church that occupies a big chunk of real estate. Note: We lived in the Aschaffenburg area along the Main River in West Germany for three years, and then in West Berlin for two years, so when I say Germany, I'm really talking about the two parts of Germany that I experienced most: Bavaria and Berlin.

Green space behind Morningside School.

Also, German towns nearly always have nice parks, playgrounds, and green spaces. I particularly remember a large plot of grass, a block wide and three blocks long in Berlin. It had a small playground on one end, and the rest of it was just open green space. It was within walking distance of our apartment, and I went there fairly often with Keely who was about 3 years old at the time. It was very peaceful there.

The Morningside area of Hopkinsville has always felt like a German village to me, because of the symbols of community at its center. At Morningside's main intersection, First Christian Church occupies a full block, and with its tall steeple and massive pillars, it dominates the scene. Morningside Elementary School sits across the street from the church's main entrance.

A large tree-lined lawn stretches around the west and south sides of First Christian Church. The west lawn has a well-shaded miniature outdoor theater and the south lawn is big enough for ball games. The broad grassy space continues on the south side of Morningside Elementary's playground. The big trees and the expanse of green makes the area feel like a park.

I am sorry that Morningside Elementary School is being closed. The school board has voted to merge it with Highland Elementary School and is building a huge new building on the bypass east of Hopkinsville to house the new school. I think they are planning to sell the Morningside buildings. I understand that the roof is in poor repair.

First Christian Church has an attractive exterior, a sanctuary filled with light, a wonderful pipe organ and a large cafeteria and kitchen area. More than that, First Christian Church has a heart for the local children. Besides letting the Little Leaguers practice soccer on their lawn, they have sponsored Boy Scout Troop 13 for around half a century now. This is the troop that Isaac belongs to.