- New Eagle Scouts (l to r) Joseph Harsey, Michael Wagnon, Jake Crouse and Jensen Tomberlin
Sunday afternoon four members of Troop 655 in Cheraw were awarded scouting’s highest honor at a special Eagle Court of Honor held in First United Methodist’s sanctuary on the one hundred year anniversary of the first Eagle rank ever awarded by the Boy Scouts in 1912.
Having earned the required merit badges, demonstrated good judgment in positions of leadership, exhibited good moral character, performed community service activities and completed an approved Eagle Project, each of the four Eagle candidates was charged by Assistant Scoutmaster David Evans to continue to live by scouting’s creed and to uphold the responsibilities represented by the Eagle badge: honor, loyalty, courage and service…service to their country, their community, their fellow citizens and their God.
“In reaching the summit of their Eagle trail,” observed Assistant Scoutmaster Jimmy Duffy, “these scouts have camped for a total of 160 nights, have earned over 120 merit badges, have volunteered more than 200 hours of community service, have held positions of leadership and responsibility within the troop, and have devoted more than 500 hours to the completion of their Eagle Projects benefiting the Cheraw community.” In addressing the four Eagle candidates whom he had shepherded since their days as Cub Scouts, Duffy told the audience, “I recognize them for their hard work, I applaud them for their service to the community and I am proud of them for their achievements on their journey to the rank of Eagle Scout.”
Assistant Scoutmaster Harry Easterling administered the Eagle Oath to the four who were surrounded by eleven other Eagle scouts who were present and ranging in age from 18 to 65. The audience stood as each of the four scouts’ mothers pinned the Eagle badge to their son’s chest “so that all the world may know he is an Eagle Scout.” The four fathers then placed the Eagle neckerchief around their son’s neck “in recognition of his continuing support as his son grows toward manhood.”
Easterling then conferred the rank of Eagle upon Jake Crouse, Joseph Harsey, Jensen Tomberlin and Michael Wagnon.
Each new Eagle Scout then pinned a miniature Eagle badge over his mother’s heart “in recognition of her love, encouragement, faith and trust in her son’s future.” The scouts also presented their fathers with an Eagle pin “in gratitude for his steadfast support.” Easterling departed momentarily from the solemnity of the occasion to recount several humorous incidents involving each scout recalled from prior years’ camp outs, hikes, canoe trips and service projects.
Each of the four new Eagle Scouts then addressed the audience noting that their achievement involved the assistance and guidance of many others. Individually they expressed appreciation to former scoutmasters, troop officials, the Methodist Men, family, friends and others who had “always been there to urge me on.”
Jerry Turner, Troop 655 Committee Chairman and long time supporter of scouting, presented each of the four Eagle Scouts with memorabilia and commendations including a US flag flown over the nation’s Capitol, a SC State flag which had flown over the State House, a proclamation from the Cheraw Town Council signed by mayor Andy Ingram, a Certificate of Achievement signed by SC Governor Nikki Haley, and congratulatory letters from State Representative Ted Vick, State Senator Vincent Sheheen, US Congressman Mick Mulvaney, US Senator Jim De Mint, US Senator Lindsey Graham and others.
Following the benediction offered by Scoutmaster Andrew McLeod, the four scouts were honored with a reception in the church’s fellowship hall.
Jake Crouse is a recent graduate of The Governor’s School of Science and Mathematics in Hartsville, a rising freshman at Furman University, the brother of Cameron Crouse who received his Eagle rank in 2008 and the son of Raymond and Mary Crouse. Jensen Tomberlin attended two years at Cheraw High School, will transfer this year to The Governor’s School as a junior and is the son of Scott and Jennifer Tomberlin. Joseph Harsey is a rising senior at Cheraw High and the son of Larry and Vernon Harsey. Michael Wagnon will be a senior at Cheraw High this fall and is the son of John and Nancy Wagnon. All four scouts are Cheraw residents.
Troop 655 is fully supported by the United Methodist Men of Cheraw’s First United Methodist Church and has been in existence since 1962. In its fifty years of scouting, the troop has conferred the rank of Eagle upon 58 scouts. Since its inception in 1910, the Boy Scouts have awarded just over two million scouts its highest honor from among the 90 million participants.