Last night, a thing happened. The Scouts, Scouters and family in the room saw a medal being presented. For me, the real adventure was a reunion with one of my two Scoutmasters.
Scoutmaster David Hollar
Forty-three years ago in 1981, Scoutmaster David Hollar presided over the presentation of a court of honor presenting the Eagle Scout Award. He was my first Scoutmaster when I joined in 1977. That Scout troop was number 251 in Woodward.
Scoutmaster Mike Gill
Mike Gill took over as Scoutmaster when David had a job transfer. Mike guided me to the successful conclusion of my trail in Scouting as a youth.
David and Mike are the two Scoutmasters that enabled my framework of leadership skills guided by a moral compass.
Life happens, and years turned into decades. College, post-graduate education, marriage, family, and starting a new practice took up my life. I became a Scout leader, partly to “Pay it Forward”, and partly to play the “Game of Scouting” again.
The audience saw a medal hung over the head of a Scout leader recognized for over 31 years of community service, not just to Scouting America, but also contributions of volunteer work with my profession and other civic services such as Kiwanis and over 23 years of service with the Girl Scouts of the USA.
We witnessed a lot of Scout Spirit that night. My most inspirational moment wasn’t a medal or a certificate, but a reconnection after an absence spanning decades.
I brought something with me, long deserved by David and Mike.
This is the Eagle Scout Mentor pin.
It didn’t exist when I was a youth participant, it being introduced some time during my term as a Scoutmaster during the early 2000s.
New Eagle Scouts can pin these upon the lapels of anyone that helped them along their trail in Scouting.
And it was high time I decorated them.
I undertook this recognition task not just representing myself, but all those Scouts from those yesteryears in Troop 251 that had benefitted from Mike and David’s leadership.
But here is the best part….
and what really was indeed the most inspiring.
This image just a sampling from 212 young adults that had earned Scouting America’s highest honors in one group photo - the 2024 group of Eagle Scouts from the Last Frontier Council.
To join a local Scouting unit as a youth or adult, go to BeAScout.org
*Mike Gill could not attend last night's ceremony, Mike - your pin is in the mail!
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