After acquiring 21 merit badges, countless hours of community service, and many camping nights, May 2020, junior Christian Gee and his scout-master, Kenneth Goldman, met together privately rather than with a big celebration, officially promoting Gee to an Eagle Scout. Afterwards, he received kind words and praise from his friends and family for his accomplishments, especially his father who first encouraged him to join the Scouts when Gee was in sixth grade. Gee’s promotion is an amalgamation of his many years of service and acts as a reminder of the Scout’s service to the Lamorinda community.

“When I first started, becoming an Eagle Scout was very daunting but I just kept working hard getting through the requirements and enjoyed every step of the way,” Gee said. Gee joined Troop 57 in sixth grade. Now as an Eagle Scout, he is responsible to set a good example for younger scouts. Eagle Scouts serve as the most prestigious members of the Scouts BSA (Boy Scouts of America) requiring 21 merit pages, an Eagle project, service projects, and much more. For his Eagle project, Gee volunteered at Wagner Ranch Elementary School renovating the nature area and St. Mark’s Nursery School cleaning up the nearby creek. For his last badge, the wilderness survival badge, Gee had to build a shelter in the wild. Although Gee received praise from his family and friends, due to COVID-19, he’s failed to have an official ceremony honoring his commitment to the Scouts program. Gee joined Troop 57 in sixth grade. Now as an Eagle Scout, he is responsible to set a good example for younger scouts. For his Eagle project, Gee volunteered at Wagner Ranch Elementary School renovating the nature area and St. Mark’s Nursery School cleaning up the nearby creek.

Despite less members and setbacks due to the coronavirus, the Scouts continue to help the community such as through providing Christmas trees at the Lafayette community garden across from the Lafayette reservoir.

The Scouts program is an essential part of the Lamorinda community which partners with nonprofits, government organizations, churches, synagogues, temples, and service organizations all across the Bay Area. In particular, the Citizenship in the Community merit badge requires that each Scout find three non profit organizations for the troop to work with. Some Eagle Scout projects have helped low-income families in the Bay Area and around the globe. 

“The Scouts have taught me that we need to take care of our community, I’m so grateful to live in a great community and it feels good to help people out.” Gee said.

Throughout the year, Scouts usually meet with their troop once a week and engage in outdoor activities such as white water rafting or canoeing, snow camping, skiing, backpacking, day hikes, overnight camping, service projects, mountain biking, and kayaking in the bay.

Historically, the Scouts program has greatly impacted the Lamorinda community. Scouts help manage the annual Fourth of July celebration in Orinda, raise flags, light the Hospice Tree of Lights in Martinez, and much more. Along with community celebrations being canceled due to COVID-19, Scoutmasters have had to cancel many Scout programs.

“Troop 237 and 303 had a joint Boundary Waters (Minnesota/Canada) canoe trip postponed to next year, and I know there were others. These are really life changing trips that I hope Scouts will get another chance to participate in,” district commissioner William Smith said.  In addition to larger trips, Scouts have missed summer camps, camping opportunities, and nature programs vital to the Scouts experience; instead, Scouts are holding virtual meetings and meet sparingly in socially distanced, limited meet-ups. 

The Scouts still relentlessly pursue large projects despite restrictions due to COVID-19 such as building amphibian habitats, nesting boxes, and wheel-chair accessible walkways at the Wagner Ranch nature area. Scouts also participate in the Scout for Food program in November where they collect food door-by-door or virtually for the Contra Costa Food Bank.

After the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, Gee will participate in the Courts of Honor where, surrounded by family, friends, and troop alumni, Gee will reaffirm his Eagle Pledge and other pledges to the community, his friends in the troop will share with everyone the unique joys of working with Gee, and to conclude he’ll receive gifts.