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Cub Scouts Reagan Childers and Deborah “Debbie” Lawrence received their Arrow of Light awards and crossed over into Scouting America Troop 461 on March 11 at the Preston Lions Club.
They are the first girls in Caroline County to earn the Arrow of Light and to become members of Scouting America, also known as Scouts BSA, according to Richard Childers, cubmaster of Pack 461. The Arrow of Light is the highest and final badge a Cub Scout can achieve. To earn the rank, a Cub Scout must complete six required adventures and two elective adventures of their choosing. The Arrow of Light is the only Cub Scout badge that can be worn on a Scouts BSA uniform.
Reagan is the daughter of Childers and Lori Jester Childers of Preston. Debbie is the daughter of Erin and Scott Lawrence of Hurlock. Both are 10 years old.
Childers restarted Cub Scout Pack 461 in 2023. The pack had dwindled and shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My mission is to bring as many girls into scouting as possible,” Childers said, adding he wanted to try to revive interest in scouting.
In a matter of two years, Pack 461 has grown into the largest Pack in the county with 23 members. Packs are co-ed at the Cub Scout level, but troops are separated by gender at the Scouts BSA level. Boys Troop 461 has five members, led by Steve Conrad. And now Girls Troop 461 has two members. The Girls Troop is led by Tammy Simmons. Childers, Conrad, and Simmons fill alternate roles among the three organizations.
The unit is well funded through its popcorn sales. It was the highest selling unit on the Shore last year, Childers said. They also hold two or three chicken barbecues a year. Combined, those efforts allow them to cover 100 percent of parent fees, so anyone can join.
Childers also stressed the importance of community service.
“I want the kids to leave scouting with the idea of community first,” he said. “If they support the community, the community will always be there for them.”
Childers presented Reagan and Debbie with award plaques featuring their arrows. They also received certificates of recognition for their achievements from Del. Chris Adams and Del. Tom Hutchinson, from Sen. Johnny Mautz, and from the Preston town commissioners.
Their parents helped Debbie and Reagan remove their blue cub scout epaulets and neckerchiefs. Then the girls crossed over the ceremonial bridge to where Simmons waited on the other side to welcome them to Scouting America. She pinned on their new green scout epaulets and gave them scout neckerchiefs and sashes.
Both girls agreed on their future goal in scouting.
“I’m definitely getting the Eagle,” Debbie said. She became a Cub Scout with a pack in Hurlock five years ago and joined Pack 461 two years ago.
Reagan echoed her, “I’m getting my Eagle.”
Reagan comes from a scouting family. Her grandfather, the late Robert Jester, was Troop 461’s first Eagle Scout. He continued in scouting as an adult leader. His uniform shirt and those of his Eagle Scout sons, Michael and Daniel, were on display for the ceremony, which was held on Robert's birthday. Reagan’s grandmother Dawn was there to see her advance.
Reagan was the first girl to join Scouting in Caroline County and the first girl in Pack 461. Now she wants to be the first female Eagle Scout in the county, but that’s down the road.
For their first step, Debbie and Reagan will be working on their cooking badge. Both said they are looking forward to attending camp in Virginia this summer.
