| Sam Kofford receives his Eagle award from Derrell Lake. |
The Buckhorn District Eagle Scout Banquet was held on March 23 at the Museum of the San Rafael. Derrell Lake welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming to the special occasion for the Eagle Scouts who worked hard to be honored that night.
The Huntington Stake Eagle Scouts of 2006 presented a slide show and audio of how the song The Star Spangled Banner came to be. It started by talking about Francis Key a young lawyer. When the British and America went to war in 1812 Key was sent to negotiate with the British to release American prisoners.
They told them that they were free but it wouldn’t matter because if America did not lay down their flag then the British said they were going to remove it. The British gathered all their weapons and unleashed against America. The prisoners said you can’t shell that fort, it is full of women and children.
The British replied by saying if they will not lower that flag then you will be under British rule. Throughout the night the prisoners kept asking Key where the flag was. Key kept replying “it’s still up.” They knew that as soon as the flag was not flying that America had lost and Britain would rule America. One of the British colonels said your people are insane. One of the Americans said that’s what makes America great, “He will die on his feet before he will die on his knees.”
The prisoners prayed saying God keep that flag flying where we saw it last. In the morning the flag was still up. Later Key said that the flag had been hit. Men went to hold up the flag until they died and then they were replaced by more soldiers. Key was inspired by those nights and wrote the song. The Huntington scouts then presented the flag.
| Nathan Brower receives his award from Danna Gray. |
The guest speaker, Dr. William Pratt, USTAR Regional Director spoke, first by telling the scouts “What you have done is nothing less than wonderful.” Pratt gave some history on him and where he came from. He said that he issorry to say that he is not a scout so he did some research on the scouting program.
Scouting was founded in 1910 and has brought values to 104 million people. He gave some scout statistics saying, of 100 scouts, only rarely will one ever appear before a juvenile court judge; each of the 100 will learn something from scouting; almost all will develop hobbies that will add interest throughout the rest of their lives; one half will serve in the military; at least one will use it to save another person’s life and many will credit it with saving their own life. Pratt gave percentages of scouts that became leaders; 85 percent of student council presidents, 89 percent of senior class presidents, 75 percent of school publication editors, 71 of football captains, 64 percent of Air Force Academy graduates, 68 percent of West Point graduates and 26 of the first 29 astronauts. Pratt said that are some very famous Eagle Scouts such as Gerald Ford the first president to be an Eagle Scout; Steven Spielberg, film director and producer and astronaut Neal Armstrong. Pratt went on to tell the scouts to find a motto for your life and live by it. He said that his motto is to serve with integrity.
Pratt related a story of the Battle of Chickamauga. The soldiers came out shoulder to shoulder as they advanced along the long murderous field. Every time one fell to a bullet the ranks filled in. As in life there are many dangers for children. We watch children fall to drug overdose and soon the gaps appear. He said “You’ve made it across the field. You’ve shown yourself worthy for this award.”
Pratt gave some traits of scouts: they are trustworthy; brave, they stand up for what is right; cheerful, take lemons and make lemonade; they create hope; master yourself before another; loyal; to be serious but never take yourself too seriously; and taught to be a gentlemen. Pratt ended by saying this is a new world, a world of change, making life most exciting of all times. Congratulations on your accomplishment, find a motto and be men of honor.
Dennis Dooley of Elks Price Lodge gave final remarks. He started by telling a story of a boy who is walking down the road and sees a big green frog, so he picks it up and puts it in his pocket. Pretty soon he hears let me out, let me out, let me out.
The boy looks around and see nothing so he pulls out the frog. The frogs said I’ll become a beautiful princess if you kiss me. The club scout put the frog back in his pocket and said I don’t have time for girls, but a talking frog is seriously cool. Dooley closed by saying, “become the kind of men that we trust in our nation. Job well done.”
The Eagle Scouts were called forward to receive their awards at the end of the night. The Eagle Scouts were; Jacob Begay, Kayden Behling, Keith Bird, Nathan Brower, Landon Fehlberg, Lane Gardner, Steven Giles, Jake Gordon, Aaron Ison, Bryan Ison, Tate Jensen, Cort Jensen, Kade Jones, Cameron Jorgensen, Aaron Knighton, Joshua Knighton, Sam Kofford, Brett Mecham, Erik Nielsen, Trenton Oakeson, Tyler Swenson and Colton Wilcox.