When I asked Tyler W. and Tanner W.* about their birthday, they quickly answered in unison. I laughed but wasn’t surprised considering these two members of Scouting America Troop 62 are twins. Both achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in July…on the same day.

As I mentioned last month, it is rare enough for any Scout to achieve Eagle Scout; it’s even rarer for a set of twins. I don’t have any statistics to back that up, but I did learn (not surprisingly) that these two have traveled much the same trail in Scouting since joining Cub Scouts in second grade.

As Cub Scouts, the twins experienced overnighters at Soldwedel Center, went sledding, ate lots of pancakes, and got soaked on their first tent camping adventure at Ingersoll Scout Reservation.

After the rainout, “We weren’t sure we wanted to continue,” Tanner said.

But they stuck with it, earning the Arrow of Light as a Webelos Scout and crossing over to Troop 62 in 2020. They advanced through the ranks, picking up new skills, learning about leadership, gaining independence, and making lots of new friends.

Two worthwhile Pekin organizations have benefitted from Tanner and Tyler’s Eagle Scout service projects. Tanner designed, built, and installed benches in the tee ball and Mustang dugouts at Shade Park on Broadway in Pekin. The park is run by Pekin Union Mission, a faith-based organization serving local families with sports and recreational activities for kids.

Tanner played baseball at the park when he was younger. “My Scoutmaster said the Eagle project should be something that affects you that you want to give back to.”

Tyler’s project also benefitted an organization he cares about. He cleaned, renovated, and painted an underutilized room at the Pekin Salvation Army, the troop’s longtime charter organization. Before the project, the troop met in multiple places at the facility on Derby Street. Awards, flags and other troop “stuff” was stored out of sight in a closet.

Thanks to Tyler’s leadership, the troop now has a spacious, permanent meeting space where they can display awards, put posters up on the walls and have better access to their gear. There’s even a pool table and air hockey for them to use, but only with the Scoutmaster’s permission.

“We now have a stable and set place to meet,” Tyler said. “It’s more ‘lived in’ and comfortable, and we can meet here without any scheduling issues getting in the way.”

Both boys describe their time in Scouting as fun and rewarding as they learned about the outdoors, spent time with friends, and gained leadership and social skills. This past summer, they served on the staff of National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), one of the most intense and impactful youth leadership experiences in Scouts BSA. They both called the week-long course “super fun” and one of the highlights of their Scouting careers.

“It was a great way to find out things about yourself and other people.” Tyler said. “It helped me be me.”

Achieving the Eagle rank at age 15 means these two Scouts have three years until they are considered “adults” in Scouting. They plan to stay involved in the troop, helping to build up the membership so others can learn and have the same experiences as they did.

Learn more about recent Eagle Scouts in the W. D. Boyce Council at www.wdboyce.org/eagles.

Scout On!

* Only first names are used in accordance with Scouts BSA Youth Protection Guidelines.

Scott Fishel wears several hats in Scouting, including a longtime association with Troop 178 and Troop 1178 in Morton. You can contact him at [email protected]. Find a Scout unit in your community at beascout.org.