By Gary S. Hatrick
Zephyrhills High senior and Boy Scout Brandon Meier received his Eagle Scout rank in a Scout Troop 72 ceremony at the Rotary Scout Building at Shepard Park in Zephyrhills on Saturday, March 19.
Meier received his rank from Troop 72 Scoutmaster Bill Moorehouse in the presence of his parents Peter — himself an Eagle Scout — and Chris Meier, as well as other family and friends.
Eagle Scouts Greg Hilferding, past Troop 72 scoutmaster who received his rank in 1997, and Raymond Morris spoke giving charges and challenges to the newly-fledged Eagle Scout.
In order to earn the Eagle Scout rank, a candidate has to complete a community project. Meier’s took at least 150 hours to complete.
“My final project was to restore the two basketball courts in town, one at Krusen Field and one in Lincoln Heights,” Meier said. “They were all cracked and you couldn’t see the paint anymore. I pressure washed them, filled in all the cracks, picked up trash and then painted them.”
Meier joined Boy Scout Troop 72 in 2004 and has risen through the ranks from den chief, troop guide, patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader and four terms as senior patrol leader. He was also the senior patrol leader at two summer camps, meaning that he was in charge of the scouts in attendance. He was inducted in to the Order of the Arrow in 2004 and served as OA representative for the troop.
While advancing in rank, Meier earned merit badges in camping, citizenship in the community, citizenship in the nation, citizenship in the world, communications, life saving, environmental science, first aid, personal management, swimming, personal fitness, fingerprinting, rifle shooting, art, golf, aviation, leatherwork, wilderness survival, photography and farm mechanics
In addition, Meier has earned the rank of first sergeant in the ZHS JROTC program.
Of his achievement, Meier said, “It’s probably one of the best achievements I’ve ever had,” and he encourages other boys to get involved. “Some of the best memories of your youth will be with scouts,” he assures.
Meier is now continuing with the scouting program as assistant scoutmaster. When he graduates this year, he plans to work on a tugboat n Alaska with his uncle for six months and then return where he will enroll at Pasco-Hernando Community College to study engineering.
Meier is the first Eagle Scout to come from Troop 72 in six years. Troop 72 has a long history in Zephyrhills boasting among former Eagle Scouts such members as former city council members Sam Surratt and Bob Winters, both Eagle Scouts from 1960.
