Eagle Scouts of Eureka
Becoming an Eagle Scout is no easy feat. Less than seven percent of all Boy Scouts ever achieve this. It takes years really because the individual needs to progress through the Boy Scout ranks, earn many badges, serve as a troop leader and do a major community project. Derek Hickman did all of this (and more). For his community project he worked with his Scout troop, the US Forest Service, Sunburst Community Service Foundation and various businesses to organize the design, construction and installation of three interpretive signs along the Kootenai Rails-to-Trail. And then on December 28, 2015, he was honored with a ceremony attended by family, friends and Scouts that recognized his achievements.
Now Derek is an Eagle Scout. He received congratulatory letters from Washington DC and NASA (turns out an amazing percentage of astronauts were Boy Scouts and many rose to Eagle Scout as well). The Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony also recognized Derek's parents who received pins for all the support they gave Derek over the years. Another touching part of the ceremony was when Derek could acknowledge an individual besides his parents who helped him significantly along the way. He spoke about the mentoring he had received from Neil Durham, a Scout leader in our community.
Derek achieving the rank of Eagle Scout speaks volumes about the hard work, skills and dedication of this young man. It also says something about our community that can provide the support and now show its appreciation for all Derek has accomplished.
About the Author: Rita Collins. I am a believer in the power of community and for now I call the Tobacco Valley home. I have lived in nine states and three counties and this community here amazes me - how people reach out to neighbors and even travelers. I've never lived in a place that demonstrates people caring for each other so well. And I've never lived in a place that has such a high percentage of talented musicians and artists. I work with the the Sunburst Community Service Foundation, a nonprofit that began in Eureka twenty years ago and now serves numerous communities in western Montana. And I just started a new business, St. Rita's Amazing Traveling Bookstore and Textual Apothecary. I never could have imagined life being this exciting in my sixth decade.
