Scouting America has a rich and enduring history within the Louisa community; one built not by chance but through dedication and collective efforts. According to Harry Quarles, the former Scoutmaster of Troop 3, that sense of community is exactly what inspired the Louisa Eagle Scout Reunion, held May 30 at the Bowood Barn event venue.

Eagle Scouts traveled from all across the country to attend, with guests arriving from as far as lower Alabama to Williamsport, Maryland.

“We have generations of Eagle Scouts here today. People are here that earned the Eagle back as far as the ‘70s,” Quarles explained. “There are even a number of them I have not met, and I’m looking forward to meeting some of them today.”

The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest honor a troop member can achieve. Upon receiving this recognition members receive a golden plaque with their name to be placed upon the Eagle Scout board, a symbol of collective legacy.

“Really, this event started with me standing in front of my Eagle board,” Quarles said. “Kids were pointing out on that board where they were going to be. I told some of the parents, someday, maybe a year from now, we are going to have a reunion of all these Eagle Scouts.”

Quarles emphasized that the event’s success was due to the impact of widespread support within the troop.

“You could say it takes a village, but for a Scout troop, I’d say it takes a community,” he said. “It takes everybody.”

Harry Quarles, alongside his wife Blanche, have been accumulating memorabilia, badges and photographs from the past 70 years of scouting to document the progression and history of scouting in Louisa.

“Troop 3 is one of the oldest troops in Virginia, tracing its first troop back to the first decade of scouting in America,” Reunion Committee member David Perkinson explained.

Robert Duke, the first member of Troop 3 to achieve Eagle Scout recognition, received his honor in 1959.

Central to the event was the exhibit of decades worth of Eagle Scout history. Displayed were patches dating back to the 1950s, many iterations of Scout field guides and binders encompassing The Central Virginian newspaper clippings and photographs of Scout history from as early as 1942.

The reunion also welcomed Robert “Bob” Dodson, Eagle Scout (1972) as the keynote speaker. Dodson was born and raised in the east end of Louisa alongside his two brothers, all of whom became Eagle Scouts.

“My scouting career began as a Cub Scout in the second grade when my friend invited me to a den meet,” Dodson said. “From that day on, I was hooked.”

Dodson retired from the military in 2015 after 40 years of service and has remained deeply supportive of Eagle Scouts throughout and since.

“My role is encouraging and supporting young men to continue to complete the process and achieve Eagle Scout. I’m a strong supporter of the National Eagle Scout Association, which you can join as a lifetime member,” he said.

The Scout Motto of the Scout movement is “Be Prepared.” Dodson explained that this is something he still carries with him every day.

“Scouting is endless,” he said. “It becomes ingrained in us, everything does. ‘Be Prepared,’ I always think of that. I’ve had many roles in my civilian jobs, with the military and in leading groups where I have to think about, ‘what do I need to do to be prepared?’ ‘Be Prepared’ is endless.”

For Dodson, scouting has become a family tradition.

“Boy Scouts has always been a part of my life, and we made sure it was part of our children’s lives, and our sons are making sure that it’s part of their sons’ lives,” he said. “It’s a great program, and as you know, it’s not one individual, it’s a family effort, and it’s great leaders like Harry Quarles who can bring people together and get things done.”

Other attendees echoed a similar sentiment, reflecting on the program’s special influence.

“I was in Troop 3 at the same time as Bob,” said Stephen Trapani, Eagle Scout (1975). “I share a lot of special memories, and Bob and I shared time at Camp Shenandoah as campers and eventually as staff members. We had some great times.”

Trapani stayed involved after earning Eagle Scout, later serving as both Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster for several troops in West Virginia and Ohio. He has remained closely connected to scouting upon returning to Virginia.

“I’ve used the skills learned in scouting throughout my life, being prepared and being a leader,” Trapani said. “But to my fellow Eagles, Troop 3 and elsewhere, it’s really just great to see you.”

For many attendees, the reunion was as much about relationships as it was about recognitions.

“I am here primarily because of my very close relationship with Harry and Blanche,” Perkinson said. “I am so deeply appreciative of how they were part of the village of people that helped to raise our son and helped lead him on to become an Eagle Scout.”

Dodson emphasized the unique fellowship that being an Eagle Scout brings.

“As far as I’m concerned, every Eagle Scout is a celebrity. They are all special, and every one of them has their own story to tell,” Dodson said. “Being an Eagle Scout is something very special; you’ve got something that can never be taken away. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.”