"Reach for the Stars" was the theme when the Cataoatche District of the Boy Scouts of America gathered for its 2003 awards banquet at Lakewood Country Club. It was a most meaningful theme for the banquet, held on the day the seven Columbia astronauts died. The astronauts were said to have "the right stuff," and the same can be said of the 16 young men recognized for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in 2002. They came from throughout Algiers and West Jefferson, but their achievement indicates their commonality of purpose, dedication, perseverance, high moral character and leadership abilities. The Columbia's pilot, Cmdr. William McCool, was an Eagle Scout. Carrying on the tradition are the West Bank 2002 Eagle Scouts: Alexander Barnes and Jeremy Wactor of Scoutmaster Casey Bass' Troop 60; Joshua Collins, Jonathan Pittman and Jeremy Sheasby of Scoutmaster Robert Mercer's Troop 63; Edgar Merrick "Ned" Kightlinger, Griffin Morgan and Martin Stroble III of Scoutmaster Connell Vallette's Troop 64; Tyler Coatney of Scoutmaster Lee Prout's Troop 199; Stephen Torres of Scoutmaster Ray Torres' Troop 395; Matthew Wallis of Scoutmaster Gary Marchal's Troop 436; Benjamin Oxford and Nicholas Tusa III of Scoutmaster Dale Hymel's Troop 601; Mark Perez-Sandi and Jonathon Smith of Scoutmaster Duanne Smith's Troop 796; and Christopher Chivleatto of Bill Stalling's Terrytown Troop 378. Many of you will remember playing a role in Chivleatto's Eagle Scout project. The young man distributed fliers door to door and also arranged for publicity through this column to solicit used prescription eyeglasses to be donated for recycling. The glasses are then distributed to those who cannot afford to pay for corrected vision.

Stallings informed me that word of the collection spread throughout the New Orleans area, and Chivleatto received close to 1,000 pairs of glasses. As with all Eagle Scout projects, the community is a little better off because of a young hero's efforts. One of the highlights of the awards program was the keynote address by Jefferson Parish's Director of Court Collections Wayne Ory. Ory is in the unique position of having developed an appreciation and admiration for Scouting not through membership, but by having been a troop's mascot. His older brothers, Aubry "Jay" Ory and Randall Ory, were members of Troop 60, chartered by the Holy Name of Mary Church's Holy Name Society in 1944. Ory cannot account for why he never became a Scout, but he was always the tag-along little brother and troop mascot, part of all the group's adventures, accomplishments and shenanigans. Ory remembers that time as one of great respect for Scouting, which carried great prestige. The Scouts marched in the parade marking the end of World War II, and were called on to form honor guards and serve as pall bearers at funerals for members of the armed forces killed in action. Ory recalled the many members of Troop 60 who went on to positions of leadership. One such member is Terrytown Volunteer Fire Company Chief Gerald Dellucky. Both of Ory's brothers attained Eagle rank. Aubry Ory also attained the distinction of earning every badge Boy Scouting offered at the time. As the only surviving Ory brother, Wayne is donating all of his family's Scouting memorabilia to the Cataouatche District. It is his way of honoring his brothers and the tradition of Scouting in America.