The Boy Scouts Gold Rush District recently celebrated its annual leadership awards banquet, held at Trinity UMC in Kannapolis. There were over 70 guests and the master of ceremonies was Jeff Parker, district commissioner.

The program included the following: the invocation led by Jerry Helms; key note speaker Kannapolis City Council Member Ryan Dayvault; and “A History of Gold Rush District’s First Eagle Scouts” presentation by Eagle Scout Henry Fairley IV.

The event was sponsored and made possible by the following:
Friends of Sapona: John Welch, Reliable Fencing, Donald Clement III, and Salisbury Motor Company;
Platinum Eagle: Gordon Hurley, The Holmes Investment Company, Hap Roberts, and Statewide Title, Inc.

The special centennial plaques were made by Tammy Peeler and the plaque patches were provided by Richard Shields of The Carolina Trader. The wonderful meal was catered by Debbie Suggs Catering.

The opening flag ceremony was performed by the following Scouts from Troop 443:
Lucas Douthit, Joshua Douthit, Landon Ryerson and Samuel Lisenby.

Special Eagle Scout recognitions were provided by: Sons of American Revolution — Salisbury Chapter, Garrett Frick, and Salisbury Elks Lodge No. 699. Special thanks to host Trinity United Methodist Church of Kannapolis.

The following 2022 Eagle Scouts were honored:
• Troop 5 — Collin Ray Cook, Joshua David Kluttz, Jacob Whitaker Moose, Zach Nesbit Jordan, Randal Gene Troutman
• Troop 33 — Grayson Jay Burgess
• Troop 34 — Jonah David McKenzie
• Troop 38 — Nathan Frank Bruzzese, Aryaman Deepesh Kumar, Aashrai Rorik Patel, Brooks Thomas Russell, Adam Renner Spaugh

• Troop 48 — Casey Aaron Crager, Jonathan Karickal, Jonathan Michael Leadingham, Anthony Gerald Tarulli, Jackson Paul Walters
• Troop 83 — Trenton William Savelle
• Troop 128 — Conner Williams Chatari
• Troop 173 — Corey Higman
• Troop 221 — Timothy Carter Crosby, Lucas Franklin Kiser
• Girl Troop 4221 — Eleanora Grace Rheinecker
• Troop 222 — Jason Joseph Liblick, Grant Ross Porter
• Troop 254 — Hunter Wayne Cook, Clarence Reid Van Pelt IV
• Troop 300 — Michael Gabriel Henderson
• Troop 315 — Michael Andrew Darby, Cameron Noah King, Jacob Martin Oliver
• Troop 320 — Benjamin Levi Hager, Braydon Scott Haglan, Dominic Ethan Ledoux, Grayson Hunter Smith, John Samuel Robbins, Justin James-Washington McDaniel, Mason Cole Barrier
• Troop 324 — Ezra Ellis Biggs, Dennis Laverne Hall III, Dawson Sawyer Raynes
• Troop 328 — Ivan Harold Fisher, Shaun Walker Pell, Phillip Wayne Stirewalt
• Troop 442 — John Austin Hedrick, Nathaniel Swinson Shaffer
• Troop 443 — Joshua Andrew Douthit, Aaron John McGrail, Luke Rollins Mesimer
• Troop 522 — Gaven Christopher Potts, Malachi Deon Stewart
• Troop 623 — Pierson Yung Sheng Cline

The following leaders were presented with service awards:
• Lion Leader of the Year — John Barber Pack 306
• Tiger Leader of the Year — Lauren Lyerly Pack 306
• Cubmaster of the Year — Paul Russell Pack 38
• Scoutmaster of the Year — Adam Ryerson Troop 443
• Assistant Scoutmaster of the Year — Dennis Patterson Troop 5
• Venture Leader of the Year — John Leach Crew 105
• Assistant Venture Leader of the Year — Chris Wiggins Crew 105
• Unit Committee Member of the Year — Randall Troutman Troop 5
• Unit Commissioner of the Year — Guy Antonides Troop 522
• District Scouter of the Year — Richard Odor Troop 522
• District Award of Merit — Joseph Hartsell Pack 888, Jams Pharr Troop 522, Daniel Barrier Troop 522, and Matthew Wilson Pack83/Troop 4837

Henry Fairley IV presented special Eagle Awards, which included the following:
First Gold Rush Eagle Scouts:
• Zachary Young Troop 315
• Grant Porter Troop 222
• Corey Higman Troop 173
• First Gold Rush Female Eagle Scout:
• Eleanora Grace Rheinecker Troop 4221

Henry Fairley IV gave a presentation of the first Eagle Scouts for Concord, Kannapolis and Rowan Counties and they are as follows:
Concord 1935
• Bobby Fisher Troop 7
• June “Dink” Crawford Jr.
• Albert Willis Jr.
• John Boger
Kannapolis 1938
• Lewis Alexander (Youth Eagle)
• Hugh Allison Logan (Adult Eagle) — scout commissioner

Rowan 1929
• Melvin Spencer Troop 444
• Archie Coleman Troop 444
• Bobby Garrison Troop 444
• Clyde Sowers Troop 443
Gold Rush District serves youth in the following areas: Concord, Kannapolis, and Rowan counties and has for 100 years. Gold Rush District currently has 1,995 Eagle Scouts.