Eagle COH question?

[LauraT7]

My Mom and I have been invited to the Eagle Court of Honor of a Boy in my son's troop. The COH is at his church, where his project was done and where we are members, also.

 

I was invited because i am an active leader in the troop and my son worked on this boy's Eagle project, though i have not worked with the boy myself - he was pretty much done by the time I became active.

 

My Mom was invited because she directed monetary gifts given to our church at my Dad's funeral toward his Eagle project (a waterfall, landscaping and retention pond on the church grounds) I suspect that the majority of the project was funded by these gifts - funding Eagle projects can be tough.

 

the project was finished last fall - he actually got his Eagle approved last spring, but because of other commitments, they were not able to do the COH until now. Neither of us know the boy real well, though his younger brother is in my son's grade (8th) and they belong to our church - the father is our troop CC, I've been on the committee and I'm now a ASM, so we know the family.

 

Anyway, we have never been to an Eagle court of Honor - the troop's last Eagle was awarded before we joined the troop.

 

is it customary to give the Eagle a gift? a remembrance of his acheivement? a card or what?

 

If gifts ARE appropriate, any suggestions?

[dancinfox]

Whenever a Scout in the Troop that I serve receives his Eagle, I present them with a special name tag. I buy them from quartermasterstore.com for around $6.00. It has the BSA Eagle on the side and I put the Scout's name, then EAGLE SCOUT, then the troop number. The Scout's like it. Sometimes I present them with a extra gift of a Eagle Scout Bolo, or neckerchief slide.

Dancin

[evmori]

While a gift isn't required it is a nice gesture. I would suggest something from you Scout Shop if you have one or a gift certificate/card to the Eagle's favorite store.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[mk9750]

In the past, core adult leaders in our Troop presented the new Eagle with something special. One of our ASMs is a tremendous wood carver and wood burner, and he has gotten in the habit of wood burning canoe paddles for each Eagle Scout that are just unbelievably beautiful. I usually give each new Eagle Scout a Good Turn Coin. Our SM usually identifies one trait or experience that stands out in his mind about the Scout's career and makes a presentation of something related to that. The 1st Eagle COH I attended was for a boy who, on the SM's first campout, brought along a lounge chair. This happened for the first few campouts, until the SM had enough and flung the chair deep in the woods. It was a memory that was discussed over many campfires. The SM presented the new Eagle with a new, very cheap, folding chair.

 

Also, each Patrol in our Troop gets together and presents a gift, usually an Eagle stutue (although lately swords have become popular!).

 

I was under the impression that this was the extent of the giving that happened at Eagle COHs until my son made Eagle. I never figured anyone did anything more than come, celebrate, and bring a pot luck dish for the social. When my son got home from his, he started opening envelopes and counting money. I think he received over $400.00! I was shocked! I've nver considered giving money for an Eagle award, and still see it is tacky.

 

On a positive note, he also received a few actual gifts in addition to his canoe paddle, and an engraved spatula from the SM (long story). One was a hand embroidered throw with a picture of an Eagle and his name and the date of his COH. He got this from the Den Leader of the den he was a Den Chief for. It is beautiful, and his appreciation for it was deep and sincere.

 

After all this, my suggestion is to certainly give a card, without money. But if you can make a gift of something meaningful absolutely do so. I was thinking about it. If there was a way to take a small group of rocks form his project and make a small sculpture from it, he might appreciate that.

 

Mark

 

ps - How generous and thoughtful of your mother (and I'll bet you, too) to direct contributions in memory of your dad to Scouting, and specifically to an Eagle project. You must have some mom!

 

mk

[Rooster7]

It's great to receive a special gift that provokes memories. However, there is a limit. Two of my sons' recently had their Eagle COH. We had over 200 guests. While engraved knives, eagle statues, etc. are thoughtful and appreciated, they can get a little repetitive.

 

In short, I have to disagree about the money. My boys received close to $500 each. Neither of them felt the money was tacky. In fact, they very much appreciated the gift and they will remember those folks who gave so generously.

 

[eisely]

In my view a gift is not necessary. Certainly some kind of card is appropriate. If a close friend or relative wants to give a gift in private that is fine, but public displays of gift giving should be avoided.

 

In our troop we do eagle courts in groups, so anywhere from four to six young men are being recognized simultaneously. Normally the parents of these young men, as a group, agree on a gift and everybody gets the same thing, eagle appropriate. If a grandmother or special uncle gives something extra, the rest of us never hear about it. If you feel you want to do something, go ahead and do it, but do it privately.

[mk9750]

Rooster,

 

If I indicated my son thought the money was tacky, or that he didn't appreciate it, I'm sorry. That wasn't what I meant. I was very proud of his reaction: Appreciation and a sense of humility.

 

I was the one who thought that giving money was not in the spirit of the event, which I phrased as tacky. Hopefully, you'll let me get away without explaining my reasons for feeling this way, because I don't think I have any reasons. It's just the way I feel about it.

 

Mark

[Rooster7]

Mark,

 

No problem. I just feel that a monetary gift is very helpful and thoughtful - for a teenage boy (who's saving for a car or a computer or college, etc.), especially when he's already received a dozen similar gifts, such as an engraved Leatherman.

 

[acco40]

The best things in life are free, but you can keep them for the birds and bees. Now give me money, that's what I want.

[Twocubdad]

All the male cousins in my family are Eagle Scouts (except one who is 12 and still working on it -- no pressure there). The last time a cousin earned his Eagle the rest of us got together and surprised him with our grandfather's old Scoutmasters' Handbook from the early 1940s. We actually did it as part of the ceremony. He was the first Eagle in a small country troop and the whole community was making a BIG DEAL out of it (the keynote speaker was a state senator). Despite all the other fuss, the handbook was probably the highlight of the ceremony for my cousin. Of all the grandchildren, he was probably the closest to our grandfather so the book was a very special gift.

 

Now we've got to figure out how to top that for the next Eagle.

[LauraT7]

thanks for the input, folks!

 

and yes, Mark, I DO have "some Mom!"

 

I was very lucky to have been raised by parents who BOTH supported me in my scouting experiences as a kid (My Mom AND Dad were co-leaders of my Girl Scout Troop) - and who continued to support my son and myself when we both got involved in Cub Scouts and then, Boy Scouts.

 

When my Dad died and the church asked what we would like done with the money given, my Mom liked my suggestion of giving it to Mike's project rather than have it dissappear into some general fund or have it go towards something mundane like hymnals or church accessories. Our church has a lovely oak grove, which is the setting for outdoor services all summer - and the oak grove has been the recipient of many Eagle projects - a stone altar, a deck for the instrumentalists, a storage shed for chairs, electrical, lighting and outdoor sound system wiring, a gazebo, playground equipment for the younger children, gardens, landscaping and paths thru the woods - and now, a muddy drainage ditch has been transformed into a small retention pond with a waterfall.

 

My Dad loved the outdoor services, and it's nice to think that somehow, he had a part in making it an even nicer place.

[purcelce]

The past few Eagle COH's that I've been invited to, I gave a card with an OA flap from my collection.

 

 

[SM406]

Although it is not a common practice at our troop to give gifts to Eagles, I believe a small token from the heart is very meaningful. However, I suspect the reason you and your mother have been invited to the COH is the Eagle Scout would like to recognize your mother, the primary person through whom his project was made possible.

[FScouter]

"The best things in life are free, but you can keep them for the birds and bees. Now give me money, that's what I want."

 

Hmm . . . somhow that sounds familiar.

[keschmahalen]

Hello,

 

I posted the same question under "Eagle Gifts" on 8-30, response was similar, but you may get some more imput there too. YIS, pec.