Jun. 1—The benefits of leadership and related needs of community support supplied the twin themes of Thursday’s Cleburne Boy Scout Breakfast held at La Moderna Field.

About 80 local residents including several current and former Scouts attended.

“We’re here today to promote Scouting and our Scouting programs running in Cleburne,” BSA Longhorn Council Director Ryan Thompson said. “Today’s event is also to help raise funds for the Longhorn Council and Boy Scouts of America, specifically to help Scouting grow in Johnson County.

Thompson also serves as Scoutmaster of Cleburne’s Troop 811.

Of the 22 Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs in the Santa Fe District, five are in Cleburne.

“In January 2023 we started the year with 300 registered Scouts,” Thompson said. “We ended the year with 423 so recruited 123 new Scouts through the year. Scouting is alive in our community.”

Of those Scouts, 293 achieved rank advancements and overall area Scouts participated in 3,860 service hours on various projects. That equates to $122,748 worth of volunteer service back to the community, Thompson said.

A total of 356 Scouts from the Longhorn Council earned Eagle Scout designation last year of which 22 hail from Johnson County.

Such successes require teamwork and partnership, Thompson said.

“Great things happened in 2023 and 2024 is already off to a strong start,” Thompson said. “That’s thanks in large part to people like you here in the room today that we’re able to continue making Scouting opportunities and benefits keep happening for the community.”

Funds raised during the annual breakfast help make Scouting available to youth who would otherwise be unable to participate in addition to funding other programs.

Thompson’s daughter, Katie Thompson, recounted the difference Scouting made in her life.

Thompson joked that she grew up around Scouting through her father and brother’s involvement but initially wanted no part of it.

“My dad said, ‘I’ve got three daughters. You’re all joining the program,'” Katie Thompson said. “I didn’t want to do it at all. Stuck my feet in the mud and said, ‘Absolutely not. I’m not interested at all.'”

The first few months of early 2019 when she joined Scouts went that way as did the first couple of summer camp days.

“First two days awful but then on the third day everything changed and I had so much fun,” Katie Thompson said. “My whole perspective on Scouting changed and I came back from summer camp excited and ready to start moving forward in my troop.”

Thompson said she signed up for advanced leadership programs and grew more actively involved in the leadership of her troop.

“I started feeling myself change and got really excited about not just leadership but in working with other Scouts and seeing that change in them as well,” Katie Thompson said.

Thompson recalled the sense of accomplishment when, in 2021, she became one of the first girls in her area — the Thompson family had not yet moved to Johnson County — to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.

“I got to meet the mayor and governor,” Katie Thompson said. “Now, as an adult, I still get to be part of the program. I get to be one of the adults who can make an impact on the youth like those adults made on me when I was younger. I get really emotional watching it impact the younger kids in the way it impacted me.”

Scouting, she said, changed her life through opportunities to learn and build character, leadership and other positive traits. Participation in Scouting also strengthened the relationship between her and her father and brother, Thompson said.

Current Cub Scout Pack 360 member Helena Zamora shared her love of adventure, camping, earning badges and other “cool stuff” that Scouting affords.

Cleburne banker Guy James credited his former Scoutmaster Roger Dollgener for making a notable positive difference in his life.

“[Katie Thompson] spoke about leadership and character and the Scouting program really is a leadership program when you think about it,” James said.

James spoke of area Eagle Scouts he who later went on to realize career and community success.

James called support of local Scout programs an investment in character.

James credited much of the success of his now grown sons to life lessons and skills they learned in Scouts.

“The question is, where is our next generation of leadership coming from?” James asked. “Well, that’s thanks to you and those who support our Scouting program. It’s our youth that we have to invest in.

“I hope through your support that every kid in our county can have access to Scouting and the opportunities it brings, and thank you for doing your part to make that happen.”

Santa Fe District officials presented trophies to Johnson County District Judge Chris Boedeker and county commissioners Rick Bailey, Kenny Howell, Mike White and Larry Woolley for their support of Scouting and service to the community.

“We appreciate the honor of being called leaders,” Boedeker said. “But leaders can’t accomplish anything without community buy in. So much of the progress we’ve made as a county depends on people like you and organizations that support our community.”

Boedeker called Scouting an institution in Johnson County, one that has helped develop numerous leaders through the years and one certain to continue to do so.

“I couldn’t agree more with what Guy James said about the importance of investing in our next generation,” Boedeker said. “I know Scouting provides tremendous opportunities to help make that happen.”

Cleburne Railroaders Assistant General Manager Rory Niewenhouse, himself an Eagle Scout, spoke of the valuable life lessons Scouting imparts and the organization’s impact on his life.

“I grew up in northern Idaho and for me Scouting was about being with my friends, being outdoors, learning responsibility, learning the value of volunteering and giving back and just getting those opportunities to experience and do so many things,” Niewenhouse said. “When you think about it, a lot of kids, especially those in bigger cities, never get much chance to be out in nature or the wilderness to see and do those things. Scouting, and support from people for our programs locally, make those chances possible for a lot of our area kids.”

State Rep. DeWayne Burns, R-Cleburne, recalled his days as a Cub Scout and the lessons of leadership, values, discipline, life skills and fun he gleaned from the experience.

“Guy was right on the money when he talked about how important it is for us to pass that on to our younger generations so they can have these opportunities and experiences of Scouting, skills that will help them learn not just how to navigate a trail but also how to navigate life,” Burns said.