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By Editor Becky Watts
MEANSVILLE - What happens when a boy joins Boy Scouts (Troop 7) in Experiment and decides to help out with Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts as an adult? A whole lot of lives are influenced as Cub Scouts grow to be Boy Scouts and Boy Scouts work to become Eagle Scouts and boys grow up to become men. David Melton, affectionately known as Big Dave or Mr. David to Scouts of many ages in Spalding and Pike County, has touched a lot of lives in his years with Scouting. David retired as the Scoutmaster of Troop 37 out of Life Springs Church on Sunday, February 8, 2015 after a long adventure in Scouting that began back in 1985.
David accepted the position of Assistant Scoutmaster for 16 years with Troop 13 out of Griffin. During that time, he accompanied Scouts as they made two trips to the Boundary Waters in Ely, Minnesota, went on a 12 day back packing trip to New Mexico, and visited Jamboree in Washington DC, a week long event where Scouts from all over the United States and the world meet in one place to get to know other Scouts and work on Scout skills.
David left scouting for a couple of years but joined up with Cub Scout Pack 103 in Meansville as the Tiger Den Leader around 2004. Pack 103 is sponsored by Life Springs Church. He continued his time as a volunteer as a Wolf Den Leader, a Bear Den Leader, a Webeloes 1 Leader, and a Webelos 2 Leader. In 2010, David became the Scoutmaster for Troop 37 at Life Springs Church.
David assisted thirteen young men as they earned their Eagle Scout rank through Troop 13 out of Griffin. There were also three Scouts who became Eagle Scouts while he was Scoutmaster in Meansville.
Dewey (DJ) Stout is one of the members of Troop 37 and has completed all of the requirements for Eagle Scout and should be receiving this award soon. One of the requirements was the Eagle Project that included clean up at Liberty Hill Community Church and Cemetery. "This was a really project that he had," David said. DJ took two weekends cleaning up there and, during this time, they located a grave for Willie Gene Gaddy who was killed in action in Vietnam on September 29, 1968. They cleaned up the grave and marker and found someone who will keep a flag on the grave in the future.
Becoming an Eagle Scout takes a tremendous amount of dedication from both the Scout and his leader. A boy can join Boy Scouts at age 11 and work toward this goal by performing service projects, earning a minimum of 21 merit badges, show strong character, and be active in a troop. "It's a dedication. 2% of the boys who join Boy Scouts make it to Eagle." David says that he is always running into some of the Eagle Scouts that he worked with and said that they have just turned out to be good men.
David's son Chuck Melton is an Eagle Scout and the reason that he got started as a Scout leader. David said that he sat with his son at meetings and before long, his son volunteered him to do things and he finally said one day that he would be the Assistant Scout Master and that is where it all started. Chuck went on to work on staff at Camp Thunder for fifteen years and got a job in the Juvenile Justice System after becoming an Eagle Scout. Chuck's time volunteering at Camp Thunder and the fact that he was an Eagle Scout made a difference in him getting his job.
David said that he had plenty of support out there at all times with nine assistant Scout Masters and thanked Life Springs Church for sponsoring the troop. "As Scout Master, my part was a very little gear in a very big machine."
David said that Troop 37 normally spends 16 nights camping during the year including a summer and winter camp of 4 days each, 2 Camporees of 2 days each, and there is a 2 night cold camping Klondike each year. The troop tries to do at least one activity per month too like the annual clean up at Fincher Chapel that is a thank you to Life Springs Church for sponsoring their troop. February 8 was Scout Sunday where Scouts wore their uniform to church.
February 8, 2015 was also David's last day as Scoutmaster of Troop 37. He turned the troop over to Charles Pendley who is now the Scoutmaster of Troop 37 out at Life Spring Church. David posted the following notice on Troop 37's Facebook page on the day of his retirement: "Today begins a new era for Troop 37. Charles Pendley is our new Scoutmaster. I would like to thank those that have supported me thought the years. I am sure you will give Charles the same support and encouragement."
Jonathan Swatts, District Executive Director of the Flint River Council, praised David for serving with character and humility and for the fact that David wants the program to be about the boys and the character that it instills in the. "Even when Davie had a plate full, if others came to him with a need, he would do anything within his power to jump in and help," Jonathan said. "He would do anything to help make the program better in our community."
Talking to those who have worked with David as a Scoutmaster tells the rest of the story of his dedication. "This man has dedicated his life to Scouting," said Current Troop Leader 37 Charles Pendley. "He's top notch."
Charles credits David with bringing him into scouting since Charles had been attending scouting events with his son since his son began Cub Scouts and continued with the Boy Scout program each year. Charles said that David had been trying to get him to fill out the paperwork to help with scouting for a long time before he finally said yes. Charles had been the Assistant Scoutmaster for four years before stepping up to help out as the Scoutmaster when David retired.
Charles praised David for being straight-forward and honest and said that it was a tragedy that David is leaving. "It's an honor to know him and to have worked with him and learned from him."
Boy Scouting is a year-round program for boys 11 through 17 designed to achieve the aims of Scouting through a vigorous outdoor program and peer group leadership with the counsel of an adult Scoutmaster. To find out more about Troop 37 out of Meansville, go to their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/troop37 or call Matthew at (470) 219-0751. Photos are courtesy of Troop 37.
