Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

April 10, 2008 issue


Local Cub Scouts Contribute To 1451st Memorial

Last Saturday, Cub Scouts from Packs 194, 100 and 109 donated a total of $300 toward a planned Fallen Heroes Memorial Garden at the Boone National Armory. The special ceremony the Cub Scouts designed included the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. Photos courtesy of Mary HavronStory by Kathleen McFadden

On Saturday, April 5, members of three local Cub Scout packs spent the afternoon at the Boone National Guard Armory. The Cub Scouts gathered at the armory to present their donations for a planned Fallen Heroes Memorial Garden.

In March, the 1451st Transportation Company announced plans to erect a fallen hero sculpture at the armory to honor Sgt. Brandon Wallace and Sgt. Josh Schmidt who died in Iraq from an improvised explosive device detonation during the unit’s last mission before heading home.

The fallen hero sculpture will be part of a memorial garden that will include landscaping and benches if enough money is raised, along with a wall of honor listing all 1451st solders who have died.

Those who donate $100 or more to the Fallen Heroes Memorial Garden will be acknowledged on a plaque in the garden, and Cub Scout Packs 194, 100 and 109 will all have their names on that plaque. The boys in each pack raised $100 to donate to the fund, and made the presentations during a special ceremony last weekend.

After the formal presentation ceremony, the Cub Scouts had the opportunity to climb on the 1451st Transportation Unit’s big trucks at the BooneNational Guard Armory. “The boys designed their own ceremony,” said Family Resource Group coordinator Barbara Daye. “It included the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment of silence and the Cub Scout motto, and then each presented their checks for $100 to Sgt. First Class Johnson.”

Several members of the 1451st Transportation Company attended the presentation. “The soldiers were there specifically for [the boys],” Daye said. “The members of the National Guard were very touched.”

The National Guard soldiers taught the members of Pack 194 how to properly fold the U.S. flag and how to conduct a flag ceremony.

After the presentations, the Cub Scouts had the opportunity to inspect the company’s Humvee and big trucks, and the soldiers presented each Cub with keepsakes, as well as basketballs and footballs for each pack.

“It was awesome,” one Cub commented about the afternoon at the armory.

Despite the packs’ contributions, a significant amount of money must still be raised before the Fallen Heroes Memorial Garden becomes a reality. To contribute to the fund, mail checks in care of Mrs. Jerry Ham to High Country Bank, 149 Jefferson Road, Boone, NC 28607.

For more info about the Fallen Heroes Memorial Garden, call Barbara Daye at 828-264-2070.