BLUNT SPEAKS TO CLASS OF EAGLE SCOUTS

Eagle Scouts from the Southeast Missouri Council Saturday were advised that even though the world is changing rapidly, some things are not like the need to work hard to be successful.

"We are in a very rapidly changing world and it is hard to project what the world is going to be like in a few years," said Missouri Secretary of State Roy Blunt. "But some things don't change."

Blunt, who was sponsor of the Eagle Scout class and provided the dedication address at the council's annual Court of Honor, stressed the importance of bouncing back from adversity and working hard to meet goals.

"It's not how many times you fall down, it's how many times you get up that really determines how well you do," declared Blunt.

"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary; everywhere else work comes first and then success comes later."

Blunt said he was honored to be sponsor of the Eagle class because of what being an Eagle represents. "A lot of things are being said when you are labeled an Eagle Scout," he noted.

There are 53 Eagles in the 1991 class, one of the largest in the history of the SEMO Council. The Eagles are from 20 different troops in 10 different communities.

Troop 240 in Sikeston has the most Eagles in this class with eight, followed by Troop 10, of Cape Girardeau, with seven.

Eagle Scouts honored from Cape Girardeau include: Andrew Fiehler, Jason McBride, and Shawn Parish, from Troop 2, sponsored by Grace Methodist Church; Scott Hartline, Benjamin Keele, Joshua Lee, Kris Naeger, Jeremiah Lee, Eric McGowen, and Ankesh Kadakia, from Troop 10, sponsored by First Baptist Church; Scott Blank and Shane Langston, from Troop 21, sponsored by St. Andrew Lutheran Church; and Lance Gragg, from Troop 16, sponsored by the Elks Lodge.

Eagles from Jackson are: Chris Hutson, Greg Proffer, Robert LaRue, and David Smith, from Troop 311; and Michael Riehn and Scott Seabaugh, from Troop 11.

Other area Eagle Scouts are: Robert Gardner, Jr. and Ralf Emerson, from Troop 29 in Scott City; Tavis Burger, Mark Ziegler, and David Mack, from Troop 25 in Benton; and Michael Coffey and Brian White, from Troop 250 in Perryville.

To illustrate his point, Blunt told stories about former New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra, Walt Disney, and Vince Lombardi.

Blunt explained that Berra lacked the kind of physical skills to be a great catcher, but overcame that with hard work to become one of the greatest catchers of all time and earn a spot in the Hall of Fame.

He told how Disney, as a 17-year old in Kansas City, was told by the Kansas City Star that he lacked the talent to be an artist for the paper. But instead of giving up, he continued to work hard. He started his own business, which went bankrupt, but eventually got a break and "the rest is literally history."

Blunt explained Lombardi's philosophy of coaching where he stressed he preferred to have a group of players willing to work hard and concerned about each other.

"Working on fundamentals, having those values that you stand for and certainly the values of Scouting are a good place to start respect for the environment, respect for others, respect for yourself, civic responsibility, are all the kinds of fundamentals we need to take into life with us if we are going to be successful," said Blunt.