BRAINERD — Benjamin Guida, Eddie Montiel and Mason Noor of Scout Troop 43 received the Eagle Scout Award in a special ceremony Saturday, April 30, at Trinity Lutheran Church, the troop’s sponsor.
They are all seniors at Brainerd High School.
After the opening flag ceremony by Anthony Piehl, brother of Montiel, Loren Meinke, chartered organization representative, convened the Eagle Court of Honor.
Scoutmaster DJ Collins gave a brief summary of the Eagle Scout’s accomplishments and shared some personal comments from them.
Guida said he began in scouting in the first grade and never looked back.
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“Since then I have stuck with scouting and have had many amazing opportunities, such as summiting the Tooth of Time at Philmont Scout Camp in New Mexico and meeting some amazing people through the Order of the Arrow Wilderness Voyage at Northern Tier Camp in Ely, Minnesota,” Guida said in a news release.
Montiel is a relatively new member, joining Troop 43 when his family moved to Brainerd from California only four years ago. He said since joining he’s enjoyed the many opportunities for advancement and leadership.
“I have been to Sea Base in Florida’s Key West and enjoy fishing and going to new places,” he said. He has also served as an officer in the Order of Arrow, Scouting’s Honor Society.
Like Guida, Noor began his scouting adventure as a first grader.
“It has given me the opportunity to do things like hiking the Santo de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico or sailing and swimming in the oceans off Key West. It has also taught me many valuable lessons about things like leadership, which is an important skill to have,” Noor said.
Meinke and Troop 43’s committee chairman, Darin Young, then conducted a candle lighting of the Trail to the Eagle using both the Scout Law and Scout Oath. This was followed by Eagle Scouts Logan Peterson and Zach Vogt administering the Eagle Charge and Eagle Oath and the presentation of the Eagle Award. Each mother of the new Eagle Scout pinned the Eagle ribbon on their son and their father presented them with a special Eagle neckerchief. Each new Eagle Scout presented their parents and grandparents with a special miniature Eagle Scout pin.
Young announced the new Eagles had been given a 10-year membership in the National Eagle Scout Association by Troop 43.
Steve Fisher, Brainerd High School English teacher and friend of the Guida’s, gave an inspirational message to the young men and then presented each Eagle with a special red, white and blue braided graduation cord.
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Jerry Wolters, retired department commandant of the state of Minnesota Marine Corps League, gave comments on providing service and leadership and then presented each Eagle Scout with a special citizenship certificate on behalf of the Marine Corps League.
Anthony Piehl gave the benediction and lunch was sponsored by the families of the new Eagle Scouts.
Upon graduation, Guida will be attending the University of North Dakota for commercial aviation, Montiel has enlisted in the United States Navy and will be attending bootcamp at the end of June, and Noor will be attending the University of Minnesota for electrical engineering.
