So
your son has just passed his Board of Review, and you are wondering what to do
about his Eagle Ceremony. Here are some helpful hints. If you have any
additions or comments, please contact Wayne
Slover, Pathfinder District Advancement Chair at
w_slover@yahoo.com . Thanks
Do not plan the date for the
ceremony until you receive the official ok from Council. It can take as little
as 2 weeks or as much as 6 weeks to get an application back from National.
Don’t put yourself and your son in the position of having an Eagle
Ceremony date rapidly approaching without an ok from National. Recently we had
an application returned because an outdated form was used (you should have the
form with the blue box in the right hand corner). While the application was
eventually ok’d, this little snafu added time to the application. Council
will notify you when the approved application has been returned from National.
Contact your troop Advancement Chair. You should already have gotten an
official merit badge list for the Eagle application. Find out about your
troop’s policies regarding Eagle ceremonies. Some troops run the
ceremonies. Some leave the planning entirely to the families. Many troops
contribute a certain amount of money towards the cost of the ceremony. Some
troops have Eagle ceremony equipment. Start with the AC, and find out what your
troop does.
Either you or the Advancement Chair will purchase the Eagle kit from the
Scout Shop. It contains the Eagle medal, badge, mother’s pin and
father’s tie tack all in a nice velvet box. Also available from the Scout
Shop are invitations, table cloths, plates, cups, gifts, cards, etc. Have fun
and bring your charge card.
Contact your congressman about flags. I believe most of us have Philip
Crane for the US House. Call his office for an order form. You can specify a
date that the flag will be flown over the US Capitol. You do have to pay for
the flag (it’s not a lot), and you can order the flag at any time. It does
take a while to get one, so order early. For this you do not have to wait for
the Approval from National. If you live in Schaumburg, contact the Mayor’s
office, and he will send you a Schaumburg flag, a letter and small gifts. If
you live elsewhere, contact your local government. Also contact your State Rep.
about a State of Ill. flag. We used to get them from Kay Wojcik, but I am not
sure if she still sends them out.
Plan the ceremony itself. The Scout Shop has a book of Eagle ceremonies
that costs around $10.00. If your troop does not have one, borrow one or buy
one (you can donate it to your troop as an Eagle gift). If your troop does not
have a pre-set Eagle ceremony that it uses, select one you would like, make a
hybrid or completely write your own. You may write it alone or with your son or
with the troop or your son may write his own. If he has written up his project
and already done all of this work, he may appreciate someone planning the
ceremony for him. Don’t forget to ask other parents who have been through
this for their ideas and input. AND don’t forget the Eagle oath, challenge
and charge, if you write your own ceremony.
Once you have received the ok from Council, select a date and one or two
alternates. Contact the site you have chose for holding the ceremony. Some site
suggestions are your church, school (e.g. Frost Jr. Hi cafeteria), School
District 54’s Board room, etc. Reserve the site and follow up with a
letter confirming the date and site you have chosen. Most places will respond
with a written confirmation. Send out your invitations.
Contact the NWSC office and tell them the time, date and location of the
ceremony. Council will send a paid professional (as opposed to us volunteers)
to attend the ceremony as an official BSA representative.
Contact me, the District Adv, Chair, and reserve the District Eagle
equipment. I have the Eagle medal light box (it is big), a podium cover, the
red, white and blue Eagle backdrop (it is also big), a table bunting and a
table cloth decorated with the wax of various ceremonial candles past. Diane
DeCamp has the Pathfinder and American flags (floor models, not for carrying).
Marty Schultz at the Council office can tell you about the Council equipment.
You need to reserve this equipment to insure that someone else is not using it
the same date. Prompt return of the equipment is appreciated.
Serving cake and cookies is the norm for these ceremonies. Jarosch Bakery
on Arl. Hgts Rd. and Higgins has a template of the Eagle medal and makes a
beautiful cake. Deerfield’s on Roselle custom makes cakes, thought I have
not heard if they have done an Eagle cake yet. Jewel also does custom cakes.
Cookies are a great filler, especially for the kids who never get enough
sweets. Soda and coffee are the customary drinks. Anything more that this is
generous and unexpected.
Make sure everyone knows their part for the ceremony and has a script at
least 2 days in advance. If you want to video tape or photograph, enlist the
help of a guest to do it. You will be very busy and excited the day of the
ceremony. Make sure to get a family portrait. You will want to remember this
day.
So now you have gotten the ok from Council. You have the date and site
selected. You’ve ordered refreshments, gotten helpers lined up, gotten all
of the BSA equipment. There’s film in the camera. Everyone has their
script. Your son’s uniform if clean and laid out. The Master of Ceremonies
has the velvet box. The flags and letters of congratulations are on the table
with Cub/Boy Scout photos and memorabilia as a back drop. So take a deep
breath. Relax. This is your son’s big day. Go out there and be proud of
him.
