By Special to the News
Blue Lake Baptist Church hosted family, friends, and Scouts of Chipley BSA Troop 39 on April 7 for a Court of Honor at which they presented Jonathan Chambers with his Eagle Scout award.
Jonathan is the newest Eagle Scout of the four boys of Troop 39 to make Eagle in the past year. He joins Alejandro Corbin, Brayden Brooks, and Tyler Spangenbergin in reaching this achievement.
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster Levi Smelser served as master of ceremonies and led with a color guard of young Scouts posting the colors and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the Scout Oath, Scout Law, and invocation.
Troop Committee member Bruce McLeod spoke to the audience about the symbolism of the Scouting rank insignia while young Scouts, along with their mothers, accepted their badges for Scout, Tenderfoot, and Second Class from Scoutmaster Ted Spangenberg.
Mr. McLeod then spoke about the remaining steps to Eagle and discussed the meaning of rank insignia as they advance onward to First Class, Star, Life, and then finally Eagle Scout.
Troop Committee Chairman Michael Corbin took the podium to issue the Eagle charge and Oath to Jonathan. The charge is a pledge for an Eagle Scout to remain true to the values and principles of Scouting for life after childhood, to always be a leader, and stay committed to duty to God, country, and family.
All Eagle Scouts in attendance stood and recited the Eagle Oath along with Jonathan. An often heard Scout saying is, “Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.”
The next step was for Scoutmaster Ted to present the award. Ted spoke admiringly of Jonathan’s scouting experience, praising him for his perseverance, kindness, compassion, and loyalty that made him such a good friend to the other boys and how that helped him overcome his own unique challenges.
His mom Francine then pinned his Eagle medal onto Jonathan’s pocket flap. In turn, Jonathan then pinned the Mother’s Eagle pin on Francine. Ted took the opportunity to speak a little more about Jonathan’s remarkable journey.
MC Levi began to close the ceremony but decided to tell a touching story about how it was Jonathan, who stood up for him when he was a young Scout and needed a friend to help him deal with challenges that come with being the newest and youngest member of a group.
A lifelong bond was made between the two and Levi’s testimony of appreciation had attendees reaching for the tissue box. Pastor Richard Smelser then closed the ceremony with a prayer. A reception was held in the fellowship hall.
Jonathan is self-employed as a mechanic and works on anything that has an engine. You can find him on the Chipley Facebook Group under the username “Shadetree Mechanic.”
Troop 39 has been in existence (a previous troop number is lost to history) for 110 years. If your child, age 10-13, is interested in becoming a Scout or if new to the area and already a Scout, Chipley Troop 39 would love to hear from you.
The Scout Oath: “On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty, to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law. To help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
The Scout Law: A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.
COLLIN BREAUX