Saturday, March 3, 2007 will be a day that I will never forget. It was the annual Blue Grass Council Banquet, plus an O.A. LEC meeting before the big event. Our Troop had been invited up (Clue #1) to do the flag ceremony. Something that we do well. Also, two of our very own, Jean Hale and Norm Marcum were getting the Silver Beaver award and we needed to be there (Clue #2) to support them.We left Pikeville that morning with just a few Scouts, Mike Shepherd, and I. We picked up Todd Goodman at the MAC in Prestonsburg and Alex Hill at the BP in Salyersville. These are all bus stops along the way. Mike keeps asking me what this banquet is for and (Clue #3) what is the Silver Beaver? Anyway, we do our traditional lunch at Dairy Queen in Clay City and off to the LEC at Karrick Lodge.
The LEC went well, as far as those mind and butt numbing sessions go. The kids are learning a process though and they did great. So we go to the dining hall to practice our part and I walk on stage to set up and was told to (Clue #4) GET OFF THE STAGE!! So, I do and we run through it a couple of times. We are looking pretty good. One of our Scouts, Will Hogg, forgot his neckerchief, so I loan him mine. Now Mike is taking his neckerchief off and insisting (Clue #5) that I wear it. I see that Alex Hill needs one too, so I give him Mike's.
It is almost time to begin, and people start rolling in. My wife Karen and daughter Amanda, Phil and Andy Smith, (Clue #6) Hugh B. Hall, Tuan and Viet Pham, Tom Hill, James and Ryan Glass, and Don and Leslie Combs. I'm looking at Mike and he's talking about maybe it is because we are getting some Popcorn award (Clue #7) ?
Troop 12 does a great presentation of the colors. I get emotionally proud when we do this. Norm gets the Commissioner of the Year award, which is well deserved. When they start the Silver Beaver part, the rest is like a dream. They start reading the bio and it is so generic, that it could be anybody, but it is me. Alan Watts escorts me, Karen, Amanda, and Will up, but he has the great idea of having all the Scouts come up too. I've seen a lot of Silver Beavers presented and that was a first to have a bunch of kids come on stage and I wouldn't have it any other way. That award is just as much theirs as it is mine. I'm looking out over this huge crowd and right in front is my old pal Jim Swinford, whistling and patting his belly, simulating the "Whistling Scoutmaster Skit" we do at Summer Camp for the kids. Jean Hale, couldn't be there, but Norm Marcum was just as surprised as I, when they called his name. It was nice to see Elizabeth Hawkins receive it also. She and I were in the same Vigil class. Finally, I get to set down and everyone is shaking my hand and I'm looking at Mike Shepherd and Todd Goodman, like you DOGS. Tuan hands me this little gift bag and has to remind me to open it. Inside is one of the funniest patches that I've ever seen. The 2006 Eagle Class was announced. It was nice to have Ryan and Will get to go up. All Eagle Scouts were asked to come on stage. I got to stand between the Hogg Man and Don Combs and his Dad. I told the Hogg Man that he'd better turn his cell phone off. He quickly does, thanks to a previous Todd Goodman prank. After the banquet, so many friends congratulate me. It was a blur. We finally leave and stop by the Dairy Queen for the traditional ice cream. I'm still in a daze. I never saw it coming. I did start getting suspicious around (Clue #5).
We get everyone dropped off and made it back around 11:30 and the last person I say good bye to is Mike Shepherd. I tell him, I don't know if I should shake your hand or kick your butt. He just smiles and said either one would be fine. I get home and start looking at the book of all the past Silver Beaver recipients. Pikeville names like: Baird, Combs, Rogers, Pruitt, Thompson, Walters, and so many others. I discover that all of my fellow Wood Badge mates that went to Camp Hook years ago, had all received it.
It sill seems like a dream. My family there. All my guys. All my buddies. The best camp and Council in the world. I'll never forget it. Thank you all!!!!
