Spacer/OR's DS received some very special honors this June.
Spacer's DS Ted has been honored in June - an EAGLE SCOUT!
A memory quilt made just for Ted by mom.
Scouting is an experience that instills values in youth. I've been in Scouting since I joined as a Tiger Cub in first grade. Now I'm about to graduate from senior high. Through it all, Scouting has always been an influential part of my life. It has definitely become the most significant activity I'm involved in.
Not everyone can have the strong values that I'd like to think I have, but Scouting can offer them a chance for it. So, for me, Scouting is a program that teaches values. The principles of Scouting as expressed in the Scout Law are trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. These twelve words have acted as a moral compass for me for the last seven years of my life. They have helped me through situations where I may have been tempted to do something I would have regretted in the future. I have often reflected on decisions I could make to see if it broke any of these principles. If they did, it wasn't something I wanted to do.
Scouting is a program that offers the opportunity to learn skills that will help you solve problems throughout your life. It may be not be everyday you need to know just how to build a fire or to bandage someone up. First Aid is most definitely the most useful skill I've learned in Scouting. I hope I never have to use it on somebody. Knowing it may save that person's life though. That is what makes it important. It's a skill you don't want to use; however, I am prepared to use it if necessary. A few other skills learned in Scouting include tying knots, cooking, and cleaning up after cooking. All of these will assist me in the future.
One of the requirements for getting Eagle Scout is to lead a group of people in a service project you planned yourself. Motivating people to assist me in this wasn't always the easiest thing to do. I led members of my Troop, several of my friends and helpful adults in building a playground at the United Presbyterian Church in Reedsport, Oregon. To raise funds for this, I received a $1000 grant from the church and ran a spaghetti feed. The need to fence the playground area was an unexpected obstacle. Luckily, a member of the church was willing to donate her fence if we removed it. Once we had removed the fence, we cut the sod and installed the fence before building the playground. The play structure was built from lumber provided by Lumbermen's at cost. The structure included a tower, a slide, two swings, and a climbing rope. The final task was laying hemlock wood mulch for ground cover. The entire project offered my workers and me the opportunity to learn how to work with tools and lumber. It was an enjoyable experience even though it was stressful at times. Once the project was done, it was a proud thing I could look back at. I've enjoyed seeing some of the children at the church at play upon it.
