Scouts honored for achieving rank of Eagle
By Steve Whitlock; photo courtesy of the Werner family
Castle Pines Mayor Tera Radloff joined Colin Venable and Jonathan Werner at a ceremony to celebrate their achievement of earning the distinguished rank of Eagle Scout.
Two Castle Pines boys, Colin Venable (15) and Jonathan Werner (17), recently achieved the distinguished rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America.
Former Boy Scout and retired four-star general in the United States Army, Colin Powell, famously said, “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” That is certainly true of the journey to Eagle Scout. It is not easy making it to the top rank. Venable and Werner, both from Castle Pines Boy Scout Troop #316, have put in that hard work – and have earned the honor.
Both boys started at a young age, rising through the Cub Scouts first, and then on through Boy Scouts. They point to making friends, achievement and discipline as all being factors that motivated them to keep going. It’s a long journey. Boy Scouts are awarded the rank of Eagle after a lengthy review process and the requirements essential to achieve this rank take years to fulfill. The journey also includes earning at least 21 merit badges, each of which is time consuming in and of itself.
Their projects have made a real difference. Werner put in three gardens at Cherry Hills Community Church in the memorial area. Venable did a landscaping project for the First United Methodist Church in Castle Rock, where he relocated 2 tons of gravel, put down 14 tons of new topsoil to mitigate soil erosion, and topped the area with wildflower seed.
Reflecting back, Venable stated, “The Scouting I’ve been a part of my whole life has definitely impacted how I see the world. I would say that the most noticeable thing I’ve learned, and am still learning as a high schooler, is to seize opportunities as they come, and as soon as they come. The good ones are almost always temporary, and it’s important to differentiate those from the bad things that can draw you away at any time.”
Werner added, “It has given me lots of great memories, especially from working at Scout camp and from all the friends I have made … and it has given me lots of skills so I can take on the adult world better.” Venable attested to the organizational abilities that his Eagle required, “I would definitely suggest documentation – lots of it. The more documentation a Scout has, the less the Board can/will question them about the project. Communication is also very important. Talking to your unit leaders, coordinating ideas, planning and scheduling with your beneficiary and asking your parents to grab those $2 fence posts while you’re at school … get people in the know.”
All good advice from two young men who have traveled a long road and whose journey has resulted in achieving a great goal.
