Eagles honored at 75th anniversary of Troop 26

GAINESVILLE - Governor-elect Nathan Deal, speaking at the 75th anniversary of Boy Scout Troop 26 at First Baptist Church in Gainesville, told 10 new Eagle Scouts Saturday night that difficulty builds character.

Deal, in his first speech in Gainesville since his gubernatorial win Tuesday night, quoted Winston Churchill, who once told a graduating class to "never give up."

"It is not in the easy things of life, it is in the hard things of life where your character is built," Deal said. "As you grow older it is in the hard times of life that your character will sustain you."

Nearly 300 Eagle Scouts From Troop 26, which is sponsored by the church, were located for Saturday's anniversary and Eagle Scout reunion, Ten new Eagle badges were presented by Edward Milner, now 82 years old, who was the troop's first Eagle Scout in December, 1942.

"Scouting has been important to me as a rich source of inspiration and to see these people carrying the torch is wonderful," Milner said.

Eagle Scout and author Alvin Townley said after searching the nation and the world for the meaning of scouting, he concluded it has a bright future as an organization that offers young people the opportunity to volunteer, serve others and make their own lives better.

The Edward M. Milner Eagle Scout Class of 2010 included Dennis Andrew Cagle, Daniel Von Danz, Donald Phillip Dennis, Kyle Davies Friese, Tyler Alexander Hooper, Ricardo Javier Lopez, Mitchell Lapleau McIntire, Aaron Daniel Mullican, Reid Bronson Schwartz, and Joseph Tedford Tyler.

Assistant Troop 26 Scoutmaster Trevor Hooper organized the event and said it was a special occasion for Eagle Scouts of the past and present.

"As these new Eagles are brought into the mix and into Troop 26's lineage of Eagle Scouts, I think it means a lot to everybody in this room tonight," Hooper said.