The Observation Deck

This past week I had the pleasure and honor of serving on an Eagle Scout Board of Review. Two young men of Lakewood – Matt Lawrence and Justin Fletcher were the successful candidates. I watched these Scouts from the time they first became scouts to now, when they attained the rank of Eagle. Only 2 out of every 100 youth who join Scouts attain this rank. It is particularly a remarkable feat considering all the distractions that they as teenagers face these days.

I was particularly proud of these men as they explained how they learned respect and responsibility through their Scouting activities. Both Scouts stated this separately, in their own way, as they related positive scouting experiences that will remain with them all their lives.

I have no doubt that whatever career and life choices these young men make, they, like other Eagle Scouts of Troop 115, will continue to make ethical and moral decisions consistent with the Scout Oath and Law.

Steve:

You bring to light a story worth telling in the newspaper.

Let's deploy a reporter, honor their accomplishment and provide a deeper than usual context.

Actually last Saturday, I met a very impressive Lakewood entrepreneur, who was also a Eagle Scout. During the black-out, he and his friend were not boozing it up but mapping out strategies to assist the seniors in their neighborhood.

I am certain there is a deep well of character here.

Steve, I trust that you can provide background.

Kenneth Warren

Ken,
Justin Fletcher had a unique experience during spring break of 2004. He and three other boys (non-scouts) were hiking somewhere on the Appalachian Trail. One night they heard screaming and a lot of commotion. Justin led the other boys to a group camping nearby where they discovered another hiker turning blue. There were two women with the injured person. Justin says he simply told one of the women how to perform mouth to mouth resuscitation while he commenced CPR. They were able to get the person down to a car, where they drove this person to a hospital. During the drive, Justin kept up the CPR while the girl kept up the mouth to mouth resuscitation. Justin obtained his lifesaving skills, not to mention the ability to stay calm in a crises through his Scout training. Once at the hospital, Justin learned that the victim had suffered a drug overdose and that he saved the guy's life. Justin and his friends walked out of the emergency room to find that the two women took off, leaving them stranded. They hitchhiked back to their camp. Quite a story -- much better told by Justin.