The Cherokee Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America hosted hundreds of attendees this year to honor the accomplishments of the 2023 Eagle Scout Class at the annual Gathering of Eagles.
The 2023 Eagle Scout Class contributed more than 6,000 hours of service to their local communities through 46 different projects. This Eagle Scout class is especially exciting as it is just the third in the history of the Cherokee Area Council that includes young women among its recipients.
Top awards were given to three youth for Eagle Scout Projects of the year:
· Maggi Creel of Cleveland for her project at Cleveland Middle School establishing a Sensory Garden for their Special Needs Classrooms.
· Carter Perryman of Chattanooga for his project at Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts renovating their Auditorium Stage and Orchestra Pit.
· Eisa Eilertson of Sale Creek for her project at Hearts & Hooves Corral creating an accessibility ramp for those with mobility issues to be able to mount horseback.
The Cherokee Area Council also awarded the National Outstanding Eagle Scout Awards to adult Eagle Scout Donnie Hutcherson. This award honors lifetime achievement of Eagle Scouts for their positive actions reflected by accomplishments and devotion to their local community, state, and nation.
Kevin Akins, Bill Clegg, Jennifer Strand, and Jim Vaughn received the Silver Beaver Award, given for outstanding volunteerism to the local Council.
This dinner served as the council’s largest, and most important, recognition event for local Scouts and adult volunteers. The event was held on Thursday at the Westin in downtown Chattanooga, the event featured Jed Mescon as Master of Ceremonies with congratulatory remarks from officials from the City of Chattanooga and U.S. Senators Blackburn and Hagerty.