Around Davidson always is eager to have news of our area scout programs.  Today we bring you a special all-scouting edition of this column!

North Mecklenburg Girl Scout Cadette Troop 1260 organized a pajama party for a good cause, Cub Scout Pack 72 of Bethel Presbyterian Church brought their gardening skills to The Pines, and three new Eagle Scouts were added to the roster of Boy Scout Troop 58 in Davidson.

The strength of any scout troop comes from adult leadership and these scouts are all reaping the benefits of dedicated, organized, committed scoutmasters who “stay the course” teaching lifetime skills to our young people.

Morsbags and the environment

What are Morsbags?

Just ask Cadette Girl Scout Dana Neidinger, daughter of Rich and Barb Neidinger of Pine Road and a ninth grader at Woodlawn School.  Dana needed to plan and execute an overnight event for other girl scouts to earn her Girl Scout Silver Award and chose an environmental issue to educate the girls on a worthwhile recycling/reusable effort.  After some research, Dana found information on a global network founded in January 2007 by Claire Morsman of the UK who gathered people to make reusable cloth bags to give away to shoppers encouraging them to forego plastic totes.

With pattern in hand, Dana taught 34 girl scouts from North Mecklenburg troops, ages 10-16, how to sew these recyclable cloth bags during an overnight pajama party held at Hopewell Presbyterian Church on October 24-25.

The girls voted to donate the 27 bags they made, plus others in progress, to Operation Christmas Child (Samaritan’s Purse), including one in each box that scouts in our area have put together.  In addition to the Morsbag project, the scouts enjoyed a pajama party and no doubt, stayed up well after their usual bedtime!

Hats off to Barb Neidinger who is Cadette Troop 1260′s leader and assisted in the Morsbag pajama overnight with Kris Van Riper, Dana’s advisor on her Silver Project.  Barb reports that scouts in this troop volunteered at Operation Christmas Child last year checking shoe boxes before shipment.  This year they are working on a Theatre Badge and helped the Davidson Community Players with the recent performance of “Working” by assisting with lighting, hanging curtains, distributing posters, and backstage work.  Kudos to these young ladies for their community service involvement and especially to Dana as she works toward completion of her Girl Scout Silver Award.

A Partnership of Daffodils and World Conservation

Imagine wet soggy ground with pre-dug holes for 1,000 daffodils bulbs.  Add to that dozens of cub scouts from Pack 72 (which meets at Bethel Presbyterian Church) convening in last Saturday’s early morning drizzle at The Pines.  The result was amazing!  In less than an hour, each bulb was planted and the ground tamped above it.  It begged the question on just how the activity evolved?

It turns out that former Cornelius residents John and Doris Van Order moved into their new Villa apartment at The Pines last January.  They noticed that the landscaping around the new buildings appeared a bit sparse and knew the view from their third floor balcony could be improved.  John determined that flowers planted a short distance from his villa would provide a beautiful view in the spring and also be attractive for the other residents.  He bought 1,000 daffodil bulbs, but then needed assistance in the planting.

Neighbors in the villas, Claude and Mary Jane McConnell, suggested help from their son’s Cub Scout Pack 72 with its 100 boys.  The scouts, led by Hardy McConnell, could earn a World Conservation merit badge by assisting in the planting.  With aid from The Pines, John had the holes drilled in advance and despite the dreary weather, the Saturday morning planting by scouts, their parents and the Van Orders was done in record time.

Hats off to Jim Irvin of The Pines’ staff who provided cookies and hot chocolate to the “work force.”  Thanks to John and Doris Van Order for the bulbs and to the McConnells for the connection to Pack 72.

Kudos as well to Hardy McConnell (who earned his Eagle Scout rank in Davidson’s Troop 58) and is Assistant Cub Master of Pack 72.  In addition to the many cub scouts and parents, help was also provided by Hardy’s children, Cameron (10) of Pack 72 and Skip (14) who is on the road to Eagle with Troop 72 and mentors the younger scouts as a Den Chief with Pack 72.  Around Davidson will have more on the Van Orders in the spring when the daffodils are blooming and adding to the beauty of the Pines’ landscaping.

Three New Marked Men in Troop 58

Last Sunday, Nov. 16, a large crowd gathered for a Troop 58 Eagle Scout Court of Honor to recognize boy scouting’s highest honor awarded to Taylor Evans, Will Kerr and Dylan Knight.  Those participating in the program, held at the Congregation House of Davidson College Presbyterian Church, included Assistant Scoutmaster Ben Yarborough, Scoutmaster Van Beck, Advancement Chair Jim Harris, Assistant Scoutmaster Tom Chisholm, and The Reverend Lib McGregor Simmons.

Following Jim Harris’s account of each scout’s “Trail to Eagle,” there was a recitation of the Eagle Scout Charge, Challenge and Oath, before Ben Yarborough presented the three Eagle rank awards.

Will Kerr, a senior at the Cannon School, grew up in scouting in Davidson and earned 21 merit badges. For his Eagle Project, he constructed two sets of floor to ceiling shelves for the Our Towns Habitat for Humanity Restore.  He also built a set of shelves to hold and display sinks.  In addition to his parents, Sallie and Martin Kerr of Cabin Creek, Will was cheered last Sunday by his grandmother, Peyton Tarry, of Oxford, NC, his Uncle Albin Tarry and family from Charlotte and Uncle Wallace Tarry and his family who live in Davidson.  Will follows in the line of Eagle Scouts in his family including his older brother, Russ, his father, Martin, and late grandfather, Russell M. Kerr, Sr.

Taylor Evans, son of Jack and Patty Evans of River Run, is a senior at North Mecklenburg High School.  Earning 28 merit badges, Taylor chose the renovation of an afterschool classroom at Ada Jenkins for his Eagle Project. Completed during the summer with a Carolina Panther theme throughout, it was an immediate favorite of the students when they returned to class last August.  In addition to his parents (his dad is also an Eagle Scout) and sisters, Morgan and Casey (both Girl Scouts), on hand to congratulate Taylor on his achievement last Sunday were his grandparents, Paul and Sally Nealon from Whispering Pines, family members, Sharon Dippre, Angie and Ben Domenick, Mary and Keith Gormisky, and their son, Robert, all from Pennsylvania. Traveling from Connecticut were Eagle Scouts, Sam and Bryan Evans, Taylor’s uncle and cousin.  His very proud paternal grandparents, Angie and Jack Evans, Sr., from Pennsylvania, regrettably were unable to be present.

Dylan Knight is a junior at North Mecklenburg High School and the son of Chris and Shelly Knight of Cabin Woods.  Celebrating his achievement in scouting last Sunday were his parents, sister, Kendyl, grandparents Carl and Sue Knight of Davidson, family members Karen Goodman of Cornelius and her daughters, Katie Goodman of Charlotte and Heather Rasmussen and her husband, Kemp, also from Charlotte.  Aunt Kelly McNamara of Vass, NC, came for the occasion as did Dylan’s godparents, Jon and Gayle Lancto, and their son, Simon, from Sullivan’s Island.  Dylan earned 22 merit badges and for his Eagle Project constructed a heavy timbered western red cedar pergola for the front courtyard area of Bailey Middle School.  Built mostly in the garage and driveway of the Knight home, the structure was installed by fellow scouts and good friends during Spring Break of the last school year.

These fine young men are to be congratulated for their hard work and outstanding Eagle Projects which will continue to benefit our community for years to come.  Thanks also to their parents and many other adults who mentored them along the way.  How nice to know Troop 58′s newest Eagle Scouts!

An interesting note to the Court of Honor:  Ben Yarborough talked briefly about the history of Troop 58 in Davidson and how almost 70 names were listed on the Troop’s Eagle Honor Roll covering years from 1938 to the present.  (Boy Scouting in America awarded its first Eagle in 1912.)  Current scouts in Troop 58 read aloud the names from Troop 58′s Eagle Roster beginning with its first, Charles Steel in 1938, and including several well known adults who live in Davidson today:  Bob Cumming, Hugh Barger, Wilson Sadler and Hardy McConnell.