GAINESVILLE, Va. — Boy Scout Troop 1361 formally honored Nick Doty and Paul Renfro with Scouting’s highest rank at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Saturday July 13, held in the chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 14015 Glenkirk Road in Gainesville.
In addition to the dedication, leadership, and exemplary service required of each scout, each young man supervised and completed an Eagle project demonstrating their commitment to their community and the ideals of Scouting. Both chose projects benefiting the Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park.
Nick, 18, organized the construction and installation of seven custom benches for the use of the battlefield’s many visitors.
“Friends who use the park have thanked me for the benches,” he said. “Scouting isn’t just something you use when you’re lost; it’s something that builds leadership and character.”
Paul, 18, oversaw the building of a vehicle bridge to enable maintenance crews to more easily traverse the park. He agreed that Scouting “is definitely good for building character.” Noting his initial concern about completing his project he said, “In Scouting you learn to always be prepared, and also how to perform under high-pressure situations.”
Together the projects represent the work of dozens of volunteers and hundreds of hours of labor.
In offering the Eagle’s Charge to Nick and Paul, Scoutmaster Michael Anderson stated, “One of the foremost responsibilities of an Eagle Scout is to live with honor.”
He went on to also emphasize the importance of loyalty and courage.
Bishop Michael Wightman of the Vint Hill Ward, the young men’s congregation which sponsors the troop, said that “achieving the rank of Eagle Scout is not easy, nor is it common.” He expressed his continued faith in Nick and Paul, saying, “I know you will both share your skills, knowledge, and experience with another generation of Scouts to benefit your community and society.”
Nick and Paul both finished their projects in 2012. However, a post-project board of review and certification are required before the actual rank is awarded. Once those administrative details were completed, Nick and Paul officially became Eagle Scouts, but the close friends chose to wait until after graduation for a time when their families could attend the formal ceremony together.
A third Scout, Adam Sirstins, an Eagle since 2010, received the Denali Award, which recognizes a Scout’s continued service, leadership and advancement in Scouting. For his Eagle Scout project, Adam restored and painted a fence and erected a bench at an 18th century cemetery in the Kingsbrooke neighborhood of Bristow.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints adopted Scouting as part of its official program for young men in 1913.
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