- November 15, 2024
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James Norris now works for Florida Heath Care but hopes to return as a junior assistant scout master. Photo Jacque Estes
When James Norris was six years old he came home from elementary school with information about Boy Scouts, and a firm idea of his future. His mom realized interests can be fleeting at that age, and made him promise to do it for a year. Young James had no intention of joining the Boy Scouts for a year – from day one he was going to be an Eagle Scout, and this past August he accomplished his goal.
Norris’ participation in scouting has had its lapses. He first joined cub scouts when he lived in Kentucky after Todd Carter, a man in charge of cub scouts in the area, and an Eagle Scout himself, came to speak at Norris’ school.
“It’s amazing that I still remember his name. When he spoke to us it really inspired me,” Norris said.
The family moved to Palm Coast in 2007 and a couple of years passed before Norris continued on his Eagle Scout goal. A camporee with scout masters representing troops throughout Flagler and Volusia counties, and one from Orlando, promoted their troops and activities to recruit new members.
As a senior member of Troop 386 in Palm Coast, Norris began his Eagle Scout project, replacing and increasing the fire pits at Haw Creek Preserve. The site was one Norris and the scouts had often camped at, and during the last camping trip Norris noticed the deterioration of the one fire ring.
“People hadn’t been emptying it properly and it was falling apart,” he said. “The last time it had been vandalized and was missing pieces.”
Rather than merely rebuild the ring, Norris visited other parks to see what they had. He found the design he liked best at Faver-Dykes State Park on the county line in St. Johns. He also decided to add a second fire ring to provide for more than one group’s use at a time.
The construction portion wasn’t difficult at all according to Norris. He had the help of eight fellow scouts and four parents who volunteered their time for two and a half weekends to help him get the project completed.
What took time, partially to an admitted procrastination on his part, was the dreaded paperwork that had to be presented in binder form to the Boy Scout Council. Norris is a 2015 graduate of FPC, and had hoped he had left his “homework” behind him -- at least for the summer.
“The paperwork felt like school which I was out of, so I pushed it back,” he admitted.
Norris has moved onto his next goal, to earn his master’s degree in nursing so he can become a clinical specialist. He is a freshman at Daytona State College/Palm Coast Campus, and works at Florida Health Care in Daytona Beach, a schedule that doesn’t allow for scouting participation – for the time being.
“Once I can get my work and school schedules settled I hope to go back to scouting and help as a junior assistant scout master,” he said. “All of the merit badges I earned have helped me in life.”
