Whew! 16 Eagles, one COH one for the history books!

Well, guys, it's over. Sorry I didn't write immediately after, but I was a
bit winded, and I was trying to make sure all the newspapers and TVs had the
info they needed. I hope that you will see the results of my work in your
area soon. But here's a copy of the last release I did.

Hard to say in there just how moving it was. My first ECOH since my own in
1973. About 20 of our Troop's 40 living Eagles were on hand to welcome the 16
new Eagles, and when they called all Eagles forward for the Eagle charge,
that 20 doubled when you counted in the dads and relatives who were Eagles
from other Troops and Councils, etc.

All three Beaumont papers (one daily, two weekly) and all three network
affiliates covered us, and I think I even convinced an Associated Press
editor to get excited, saying 16 Eagles from one Troop at one time was at
least as rare as quadruplets and they get all kind of attention and diapers.
Our guys are past that stage.

Thanks for all your help -- the Scouts wore only MB sashes, BTW. Here's that
press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (March 9, 1997)
CONTACT: DAVE ROGERS at 409/860-4263

Eagles soar in Beaumont ceremony

BEAUMONT -- Boy Scouting's highest individual youth honor was
presented in a group setting Sunday, a very large group, as Beaumont's
Troop 85 welcomed 16 new Eagle Scouts in one of the largest Eagle Scout
Courts of Honor ever held in the United States.

Never before in Southeast Texas had so many Scouts from one Troop
received the Eagle Scout Award at one time.

National Boy Scouts of America officials don't keep track of such statistics,
but one survey of 800 Scouting adults around the world failed to yield a
single instance of a bigger Eagle Court of Honor involving a single Troop.

BSA does offer the statistic that only two of every 100 youths who join Boy
Scouting follow through to complete the requirements for Eagle Scout.

Troop 85, with 58 registered Scouts, is sponsored by St. Anne's Tri-Parish
Home and School Association. An overflow crowd of more than 800 family
members and friends gathered at St. Anne Catholic Church for Sunday's 90-
minute ceremony.

The new Eagles include Danny Burke, Blair Burnside, Brandon East, Matt
Frederick, Britt Henley, Josh Homann, Michael Jenkins and Kotte LeBlanc.
Also, Mark McKenney, Patrick McGown, Chris Meter, Joseph Ramey,
Trent Tatum, Fred Ussery, Peter Wells and Brian Winegar.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Earl S. Hines, in his keynote address, stressed the
individual effort required of the boys and the strong bond their common
goals had melded.

"While we are celebrating a group ceremony,'' Hines, a Troop 85 Assistant
Scoutmaster, told the new Eagles, "it is possible only because of your
individual effort ... You alone worked your way up through the Scouting
ranks; earned the required and optional merit badges; assumed the
leadership roles expected of an Eagle Scout.

"You each deserve your own, private Eagle Court of Honor. Instead, you've
demonstrated Scout Spirit once again by sharing this special moment in your
life with your brother Scouts.''

The 16 boys, all students at Beaumont's Kelly and West Brook High
Schools, have combined for nearly 3,000 miles of hiking, more than 2,000
days and nights of camping and 6,600 hours of community service in their
Scouting careers.

In addition to earning 21 merit badges and serving in positions of Troop
leadership, Scouts must complete three service projects en route to the rank
of Eagle.

"That's 48 separate service projects," Hines pointed out. "Even at your very
young age, this community is already noticeably and demonstrably better
because of your contributions. The potential good you can do your adult lives
is staggering."

Hines compared Scouting to magic.

"There's a magic about this Scouting business that doesn't need to be
explained," he said. "It just works and everybody knows it.

"How else to explain the fact that while these various religions and
denominations have fundamental theological disagreements, and while
countries will actually go to war over political differences, they all can
agree
readily on the principles of Scouting as the right way to develop young
men?"

Troop 85 was originally chartered in 1959 and 69 of its members have risen
to Eagle Scout rank. Sunday's recipients have enjoyed backpacking trips in
New Mexico, sailing trips in Florida and have been part of their local
council's contingent to National and World Jamborees.

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