Two important youth organizations will celebrate their 100th anniversaries this year.
Feb. 8, 2010, marks the day when the Boys Scouts of America was incorporated 100 years ago. BSA kicked off its celebration with a float and 300 Eagle Scouts marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1.

Many of our local, state and national leaders have been Boy Scouts. Eagle Scout is the highest award a Boy Scout can earn and only 5 percent of all Scouts earn the award each year. The Eagle Scout project usually involves something that benefits the community. In going through our files from just the last few years I found information about several Eagle Scout projects here in Monroe County - work on the trails at Sequoyah Birthplace Museum and Fort Loudoun State Historic Area, a swing built at Wood Village, a luggage collection for children going into foster care, repair and painting of the dugouts at Kefauver Park, and birdhouses built and placed throughout the county.

Some famous Scouts include Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon; baseball legend, Hank Aaron; CIA Director and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, journalist Walter Kronkite, and actors Harrison Ford, Richard Dean Anderson and Ashton Kutcher.
And, while they may not have much else in common, Presidents Kennedy, Ford, Carter, George W., Clinton, and Obama were all Scouts.
For more information about the Boy Scouts, visit www.scouting.org

4-H in Tennessee
The Tennessee 4-H program also is planning a year-long celebration marking its centennial in 2010.
With the help of local adult volunteers, the 4-H youth development program helps young people from 9 to 19 develop self-esteem, leadership and citizenship skills and gain knowledge in a wide range of subjects. From health to public speaking or photography or GPS tracking, 4-H programs supplement traditional learning with projects that encourage advanced education.
With nearly 302,000 members statewide, Tennessee has one of the largest 4-H memberships in the nation.

In my nine years here at the paper, I have attended numerous 4-H projects and banquets. I am always impressed by the hard work of the 4-H members and the dedication of their parents and sponsors. Other than sporting events, it's not often you see such community-wide support for youth activities.

The Advocate & Democrat will honor these two organizations with special sections featuring photos and articles of Scouts and 4-Hers past and present. The Boy Scout section will be published Feb. 7 and the 4-H section will be published in July. So start sorting through your scrapbooks and share with us and the community your photos and memories.

Items may be e-mailed to editor@advocateanddemocrat.com or they can be dropped off at our office in Sweetwater (on Sweetwater-Vonore Road) or in Madisonville (on College Street).
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