The Good Eagle Scout, Darrell

“I love scouts. All my life, I love scouts!” said Darrell White, a scout with Troop 77.

In February, the 64-yearold achieved Eagle Scout status. It was a proud moment for this man who has spent decades engaged with the scouting community. Eagle Scout is the highest rank of the Scouts BSA (formerly Boys Scouts of America), reserved for scouts who achieve various benchmarks and complete a specific community project.

“Darrell’s project was to place benches at the historic Gower Cemetery in Edmond,” said Darrin Hill, Scoutmaster. “He had to raise the money to purchase the benches, which he had made at the Oklahoma Correctional Facility. During the installation process, Darrell wanted everyone to help clean up the cemetery, so he directed the troop on what to do.”

“I had them rake leaves, and I had them get the tree limbs off the fence,” said Darrell, “and we hung up a new flag.”

Darrell’s Scouting Family

Darrell first became a cub scout in Tulsa. He lived at the state-sanctioned institution, Hissom Memorial Center in Sand Springs, which was shut down in the late 1980s. From there, Darrell moved to Enid, and then came to Edmond in 2001, working at Goodwill until he retired in 2019. “He missed scouting. He needed us, so he found us,” Hill said.

“I love scouts,” Darrell said. He has a long list of why he loves scouts: tent camping, helping at festivals, float trips, playing ball, first aid, drawing, cooking, dancing, singing, campfires, marshmallows, eating, and more.

Darrell views scouts as his family, remembering their names and watching them grow up. He also “adopted” the Hill family as his own. “When his mother passed away a few years ago, Darrell decided to adopt me as his younger dad, and he calls my wife Mama Hill.”

“I adopted the whole Hill family. Now I have a little brother and a little sister and a big sis and two dogs,” Darrell said.

Darrell’s Leadership Role

Because Darrell has so much scouting experience, he has carved out his own special role with Troop 77. First, he’s in charge of hydration.

“I make sure the scouts are drinking water,” Darrell said. Second, Darrell keeps the new and younger scouts in line.

“I tell them to be careful. To stop running. I tell them to be good. Don’t mess with other people’s campsites,” said Darrell.

“He can be stern sometimes, but he’s also very nurturing,” said Hill. “If Darrell sees someone upset, he goes over and talks to them and encourages them.”

Darrell’s third role is recruiter. “I tell everybody about scouts. I say, ‘You should come to scouts. Boys and girls, too. If you are not in a troop, you should come to my troop.’” Darrell said.

“Darrell is the ultimate example of servant leadership,” said Hill. “He will forever be registered as a scout. I’m so grateful to all of Darrell’s former Scoutmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters, and leaders who have made his scouting experience possible.”

“I love to go to our Monday night scout meetings at the church,” said Darrell. “They teach me to be a good scout.” To that, Hill said, “You already are a good scout, Darrell.”