Scout Name: Ryan Simpson

Awarded Eagle: February 29, 2012

Project Name: Room renovation at FCC Edmond

Project Description: The children’s minister at FCC Edmond needed a room to be remodeled so that it would fit with the new curriculum she wanted to use. The remodel involved removing approximately 60 theater style seats as well as the risers to which they were attached from a basement in the church. On a rainy project day, Ryan coordinated over 30 volunteers removed the seats, deconstructed the risers, and removed the debris.

Summary of Scouting Career: Ryan entered Cub Scouts as a Tiger in 2000 followed by his best friend Joey who joined the next year. Together they grew through the ranks of Wolf, Bear, and Webelo earning both the Arrow of Light and Religious Emblem in Pack 349. Those two, along with most of their Den, crossed over to Troop 479 in February of 2005 in effect doubling the size of Troop 479.

During his seven years in Troop 479, Ryan held a variety of elected and appointed leadership positions including Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant SPL (3 times), Quartermaster, Patrol Leader (2 times) and Librarian (2 times). Ryan attended six troop summer camps during 2005-2010 in Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Nebraska. In June of 2011 he trekked 100 miles in the back country of New Mexico at Philmont Scout Ranch, BSA’s premier high-adventure base. Ryan is a member of the Order of the Arrow — scouting’s camping honor society.

Ryan also received the National Camping award for spending over 150 nights camping as a Boy Scout with Troop 479.

Completed Merit Badges: Leatherwork, Basketry, First Aid, Communication, Citizenship in the World, Emergency Preparedness, Electronics, Computers, Swimming, Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Fishing, Cooking, Wood Carving, Chemistry, Photography, Citizenship in the Nation, Environmental Science, Personal Management, Family Life, Personal Fitness, Small Boat Sailing, Metalwork, Shotgun Shooting, Cinematography, Orienteering, Climbing, Law, Lifesaving, Fire Safety, Electricity, Horsemanship, Rifle Shooting, and Carpentry.

Ryan is looking forward to staying involved with the troop as well as being active in the Order of the Arrow.

Scout Name: Joseph Turner

Awarded Eagle: October 26, 2011

Project Name: Raised Planting Beds for First Christian Church

Project Description: The children’s minister at FCC Edmond desired a way for church youth to learn the many dimensions of stewardship. Specifically, she wanted the children to have a convenient means of planting, growing, and then giving away fresh vegetables and flowers. Joey’s project was to provide a pair of raised planting beds to address this need. He worked with a representative of the church property committee to identify a convenient yet neglected area of the church yard. On project day, Joey coordinated dozens of volunteers who cleared the area, constructed and filled the beds, installed a border, and created safe access around the beds.

Summary of Scouting Career: Joey entered Cub Scouts as a Bobcat in 2001, joining his best friend Ryan who had joined a year earlier as a Tiger Cub. Together they grew through the ranks of Wolf, Bear, and Webelo earning both the Arrow of Light and Religious Emblem in Pack 349. Joey crossed over to Troop 479 with virtually his entire den including Ryan in February of 2005. That crossover combined with two or three cubs from other packs in 2005 nearly doubled the size of Troop 479.

During his six and a half years in Troop 479, Joey held a variety of elected and appointed leadership positions including Patrol Leader (3x), Quartermaster (2x), Senior Patrol Leader (3x), OA Rep (2x), Troop Guide, and Assistant SPL. Joey attended six troop summer camps during 2005-2010 in Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Nebraska. In June of 2011 he trekked 100 miles in the back country of New Mexico at Philmont Scout Ranch, BSA’s premier high-adventure base. Joey is a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow — scouting’s camping honor society. Recently, he served as Chapter Chief of Woapalanne (Eagle) chapter.

Completed Merit Badges: Basketry, Fingerprinting, First Aid, Citizenship in the World, Emergency Preparation, Swimming, Fishing, Canoeing, Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Communicator, Archery, Chemistry, Medicine, Shotgun Shooting, Metalwork, Environmental Science, Personal Management, Citizenship in the Nation, Personal Fitness, Family Life, Small Boat Sailing, Cinematography, Photography, Orienteering, Rifle Shooting, Lifesaving, Fire Safety, and Horsemanship.

Joey looks forward to staying involved with the troop as an Assistant Scoutmaster. He and Ryan will both be headed to college soon with plans to enter law enforcement after graduation.

Scout Name: Seth T

Awarded Eagle: July 27, 2011

Project Name: Oklahoma Christian School Retaining Wall and Flower Bed for Entrance Sign

Project Description: For his eagle project, Seth directed scouts in creating a horseshoe shaped retaining wall out of decorative brick. The wall stands at Saints Boulevard and 2nd street, just east of I-35 in Edmond. He directed in the groundwork and prep and technique for laying the bricks, as ten scouts built the curved retaining wall and help turn up the soil for the later planted flower bed. The wall stands at 4 and one half feet tall, going a linear distance of 41 feet. The wall was built into a hill, so they had to make sure the wall was built right. We used extra rocks and gravel, and have an entire layer built into the ground for support. The wall proved strong when a windstorm brought down the entire sign, but the wall stood strong. The sign has now been replaced, and the sign wall and flower bed help cars to recognize the newly-built Saints Boulevard entrance to the OCS campus.

Summary of Scouting Career: Seth joined the Scouting Program as a kindergartener at the age of 5 as a Tiger Cub in Pack 330. He transferred to Pack 331, along with other scouts in his pack in between the ranks of Tiger and Wolf. He continued in 331 through the ranks of Wolf, Bear, and Webelos, as well as Bobcat. He earned all the activity pins that are offered in Cub Scouting as well as his Arrow of Light Award. When it came time to choose a troop, he was never able to visit 479 because of scheduling conflicts, but his friends were going there, so he decided to as well. He wasn’t sure at first, but he loved the troop and immediately took part in leadership positions. These positions include Historian, Bugler, Assistant Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, and Senior Patrol Leader (2x). He became engaged in the camping program, going on mostly all weekend campouts and attending summer camp at Camp Pioneer, Camp Alexander and Camp Cedars. For his 2011 Summer Camp, He and his newly formed venture patrol took part in a 94-mile Philmont Trek. He became a member of OA, Scouting’s National Honor Society in Spring of 2010 and has been an active member of the lodge as an OA Troop Representative (2x), stand-in chapter chief, and 2012 Lodge Secretary.

Completed Merit Badges: Archery, Art, Aviation, Backpacking, Basketry, Bugling, Camping, Carpentry, Chemistry, Cinematography, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Coin Collecting, Communication, Computers, Electronics, Engineering, Environmental Science, Family Life, Fingerprinting, First Aid, Horsemanship, Law, Leatherwork, Lifesaving, Metalwork, Orienteering, Personal Fitness, Personal Management, Pottery, Rifle Shooting, Scholarship, Surveying, Swimming, and Wood Carving.

Seth got his Eagle at the age of 14, and still plans to serve his Troop and Lodge until he is no longer able.

Scout Name: Garrett Scharbor

Awarded Eagle: October 10, 2009

Project Name: Items for veterans at the VA Hospital

Project Description: For his Eagle Project, Garrett organized, coordinated, and helped collect games, personal hygiene products, and other items for the veterans at the VA Hospital in Oklahoma City, OK. He was inspired to do this project because his brother Justin (also an Eagle from T479) is a soldier and a veteran.

Summary of Scouting Career: Garrett entered scouting on August 26, 2002 with Troop 479 at First Christian Church of Edmond. He was already familiar with this troop because his older brother became an Eagle Scout in 1999 out of Troop 479.

Garrett has attended long-term camps with Troop 479 including Camp Tom Hale in Talihina, OK (2003, 2004, and 2007), Camp Alexander in Lake George, CO (2005), and Slippery Falls in Tishimingo, OK (2006). During his tenure as a scout, Garrett has also participated in several Webelos Woods, Camporee competitions, food drives, weekend campouts, and service projects. At the time of his Eagle award, Garrett had been active in his troop for seven years and learned many skills of scouting, leadership, and camp cooking.

Garrett has served in leadership many positions with the troop. He has been Asst. Scribe, Patrol Leader, Scribe, Instructor, Troop Guide, Asst. Senior Patrol Leader (3 times), and acting Senior Patrol Leader.

Scout Name: Ian Nichols

Awarded Eagle: August 25, 2004

Project Name: Blackburn Cemetery Records Update

Project Description: Ian’s Eagle Scout Project benefited Blackburn Cemetery, established in 1898, where he helped update the curator’s records of the cemetery. He compared the computer records against many hundreds of cemetery plots, measured the reserved plots to verify enough space was available, and identified the veterans’ plots. Curator Brad Rogers thanked Ian for helping him to make the records more accurate and said that he much appreciated the help Ian gave. Scouts and leaders from Troop 479 helped Ian complete the project, which totaled over 92 man hours.

Summary of Scouting Career: Ian’s scouting career began as a Tiger Club in the First Grade with Pack 78. He continued in scouting and earned his Arrow of Light, the highest rank of Cub Scouts. Ian joined Troop 479 in 1998 and has been an active member participating in camping trips, service projects, and serving in leadership positions including Senior Patrol Leader. Ian has also been chosen to be a member of the scouting honor society, the Order of the Arrow.

Scout Name: Bryan Cook

Awarded Eagle: August 29, 2001

Project Name: Landscaping and Sidewalk Construction for the Bradford Village Retirement Center

Project Description: Bryan’s Eagle Project was built upon the beginning of another Eagle Scout, Mark Wise, who built a wooden gazebo in a park at the retirement center. Bryan followed up on this by leading a skilled team of scouts and scouters in removing nine cubic yards of dirt and replacing with a concrete sidewalk that connected the unfinished existing neighborhood sidewalk together and included a path to the gazebo. A step was constructed from the sidewalk to reach the high edge of the gazebo. Further, basic landscaping was done to furnish the park with some plants and a miniature gazebo birdfeeder.

Summary of Scouting Career: Bryan started scouting in 2nd grade as a Wolf Scout in Pack 91. Bryan earned all 20 Webelos pins and the Arrow of Light. After crossing over to Troop 479, Bryan has become a permanent member of the troop. As a youth, Bryan served in many capacities such as Senior Patrol Leader for 4 terms, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader for 2 terms, Patrol Leader for 2 terms, Assistant Patrol Leader for 1 term, Troop Guide for 1 term, and finally Junior Assistant Scoutmaster for 4 terms. Other accomplishments as a youth include becoming a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow, earning 56 merit badges, 4 Eagle Palms, and completing the highest nationally-led youth training in Scouts–Brownsea. Bryan continues his promise as a scout today by serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster. Since the summer of 1995, Bryan has yet to miss a summer camp with the troop.

Scout Name: Justin Scharbor

Awarded Eagle: March 31, 1999

Project Name: Storm Drain Labels

Project Description: Justin organized, coordinated, and helped stencil “Do Not Dump” signs on 70 storm drains in Edmond, OK.

Summary of Scouting Career: Justin was born and raised in Edmond, OK. He entered Scouting in August of 1994 (5th grade) with Pack 377 out of Ida Freeman Elementary School. After completing Webelos and earning his Arrow of Light, Justin crossed-over in March of 1995 to Boy Scout Troop 479 at First Christian Church. Troop 479 was an inactive troop at the time, but the troop was reactivated with Justin and 10 other boys. He was active in Troop 479 and learned many skills of scouting, leadership, and camp cooking.

Justin attended long-term camps with Troop 479 including Slippery Falls Scout Ranch near Tishamingo, OK (1995 and 1996), Camp Pioneer in Mena, AK (1997), and Camp Cherokee in Wyandotte, OK (1998). He also attended several Webelo Woods, Camporee Competitions, Food Drives, campouts, and service projects. Justin served in leadership positions within Troop 479. He was Assistant Patrol Leader twice, Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and Troop Guide. Justin also became an Ordeal member of the Order of the Arrow during his time in Troop 479.

Scout Name: Bruce Jackson

Awarded Eagle: December 18, 1977

Project Name: July 4th Parade Assistance

Project Description: Bruce’s Eagle Scout Project benefited the City of Edmond, many years before LibertyFest grew to the size it is now. He organized scouts to place markers for staging locations in the (then) Central State University library parking lot, direct parade entries to their appropriate staging location, and man 3 first aid stations along the parade route.

Summary of Scouting Career: Bruce’s scouting career began as a Cub Scout in the Second Grade with Pack 479, chartered at that time by the First Christian Church. He earned both Wolf and Bear ranks before moving into the Webelos den under the leadership of Robert McCoy, where he had his first, but far from his last, camping experiences of his life. After receiving his Arrow of Light, Bruce crossed over into Troop 479, where Don Hunteman was Scoutmaster. During his years with the troop, Bruce served in virtually every troop leadership position, from Assistant Patrol Leader to Senior Patrol Leader. He still has his trophy skin of patches and awards, including the patch from ushering the 1971 OU/Nebraska “Game of the Century”. After receiving his Eagle award, he went on to receive a bronze palm. Bruce finished his career as a Boy Scout as a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow. After turning 18, he remainded in leadership roles with the troop, finishing with Scoutmaster, making him to date the only person to both receive his Eagle from, and serve as Scoutmaster for, Troop 479. While serving as an adult leader, Bruce received his Wood Badge beads after attending course SC-197. As part of the next generation of scouting, he also served as Den leader and Cubmaster for Pack 78.