On Aug. 21, Troop 165 proudly held an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Daniel Jerald Smith at the Rincon’s Lions Club.

He is the son of W. Jerald and Mary Ellen Smith. He is a graduate of South Effingham High School. While attending South Effingham, Smith was in the Marching Mustangs Band, Symphonic Band and was an active member of the FFA.

He is a volunteer firefighter for Rincon and is a member of Savannah Winds at Armstrong Atlantic State University.
This fall, he will be attending Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College in Tifton and will be studying wildlife management.

During his scouting career, Smith held the leadership positions of assistant senior patrol leader, patrol leader, assistant patrol leader, librarian and chaplain’s aide.

He attended many campouts and scouting functions in his scouting career. Some interesting places he visited and camped were Camp Thunder in Molena; Camp Bob Hardin in Saluda, N.C.; Camp Daniel Boone in Boone, N.C.; Paris Island, S.C.; Camp Bud Schiele in Rutherfordton, N.C.; Kennedy Space Center in Florida; and Camp Blue Heron in Riceboro.

An important part of Smith’s scouting career was being elected to the “Order of the Arrow.” This is an honor that you cannot earn, but is bestowed upon you by fellow scouters. After attaining the rank of a First Class Scout and being active with his troop for two years, he went through his ordeal at Camp Blue Heron and became a member of the Tomo Chi-Chi Lodge No. 119 of Savannah.

His Eagle Scout project was to plan and construct a new, portable handicap ramp for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and also to remove a pew for wheelchair seating.

Smith completed 31 merit badges, hiked 12 miles, kayaked/canoed 51 miles and camped 82 nights on his trail to Eagle Scout. On Nov. 1, 2006 he passed his board of review for Scouting’s highest rank, Eagle Scout.