Cub Scouts in Eden

VISITING EDEN: On Jan. 23, Crestview Cub Scout Pack 530 took a field trip to Eden Gardens State Park in Point Washington and enjoyed a day exploring the facility, which includes formal gardens and the Wesley House mansion (familiar to fans of the 1972 horror film “Frogs” as the plantation home of Ray Milland). Members of the pack, which is sponsored by the Crestview Elks Lodge, got to see Civil War re-enactors in Union blue and Confederate gray in recreations of 1860s military camps, and learned about 19th-century weaponry.

            The pack’s Boy Scout den chief, Thomas Carrico, was surprised when the Sons of Union veterans of the Civil War snapped smartly to attention and presented him with a commendation for recently attaining the rank of Eagle Scout (above right). “He wasn’t expecting that,” commented Thomas’ dad, Den Leader Kelly Carrico. “They had a formation and gave him a gun salute. He was a little embarrassed by it.”

            Pictured in an accompanying photo are Pack 530 members (kneeling, from left) Luke Griffith, Nicholas Johnson, Geoffrey Prestridge, Trystan Villareal, Germainye Hudson and Caleb LaRoche. Standing are Austin Carrico, Robert Parsons, Matthew Roberts, Jacob Huetter, Ashton Stuart and Rachel Parsons, who accompanied her brother Robert. Standing in back are den chief Thomas Carrico, Assistant Den Leader Julio Rodriguez and Den Leader Kelly Carrico.