Your Say: Eagle Scout Helps Camp Whippoorwill 

Dear editor, 

Mason W. Jones started his scouting journey in March of 2011. He joined Pack 712 in Debb Hollingshead’s den where he diligently worked through his Cub Scout ranks. During the summers he spent a week each year at the 4-Rivers Cub Scout Day Camp.  After achieving the rank of Webelos II and receiving his Arrow of Light award, Mason was ready to move on to the next step in his scouting career. Mason bridged into Troop 447 on March 1, 2015, with two of his den mates, Wyatt Newman and Trevor Kramer, under the leadership of Scoutmaster Jim Odom.  

Mason, as a new member of the troop, was greeted with kindness and enthusiasm. While a member of Troop 447 Mason was voted twice as Patrol Leader for his Patrol, The Angry Pandas. Throughout the years Mason volunteered with the troop on various events and during the summer as a camp aid at the very same camp he was once a camper at.  Over his time with the troop he completed 145 hours of service work and camped a total of 40 nights. 

Mason’s Eagle Scout Service Project was done to benefit Girl Scout Camp Whippoorwill in Pasadena, run by Marie Blackwelder. After walking around the camp and speaking with Mrs. Blackwelder it was decided that he would give their main building known as “Big House” a new French door that would lead out to a new deck with steps and a railing. He knew this was a very ambitious project and got to work on fundraising. Though it seemed to be going very quickly and smoothly, Mason soon took a devastating hit to the progress of his project. Then COVID hit and completely shut down his project, not knowing when he would be able to resume. Mason had to wait over a year to be able to resume his project and the estimate for materials nearly tripled due to the rising cost of building materials. Mason was able to complete his project with less than a month until his 18th birthday.  

Outside of Scouts, Mason graduated from Glen Burnie High School, Class of 2022, magna cum laude. Mason was also inducted into NHS and NSHSS his junior year of high school. Though bullied in middle school, Mason used his experience to better himself. He began weight-lifting classes at school and boxing at First Class Boxing & Fitness. Mason found that his outlet would pave the way to his passion. Mason will attend Anne Arundel Community College in the Health, Fitness, & Exercise Science Program. 

–-Rodney Spangler & La’Kina Jones