Charles Kerby

Charles Kerby, an Eagle Scout with Boy Scout Troop 11 in Lehigh Acres has received an Eagle Palm Award. The award is presented to Eagle Scouts who earn at least five extra merit badges and remain active in the troop after receiving their Eagle Scout Rank.

He is the son of Barbara Kerby of Lehigh Acres.

Palms can be earned for every five extra badges earned, and active service with the troop, until the scout reaches his 18th birthday. The Palm award is a small pin, shaped like an eagle feather, which is pinned on the Eagle patch or the ribbon of the Eagle Award Medal.

Kerby earned his Eagle Scout Rank in October 2010 with the Eagle award ceremony in January 2011. The Eagle Scout Rank is the highest rank available for a Boy Scout. Less than 2 percent of the boys in scouts earn the Eagle Rank.

To earn the Eagle Rank, a scout must earn 21 merit badges, perform community service volunteer hours, hold elected offices in the troop, and pass a board of review by Scout officials.

An Eagle Project to benefit the community must also be planned, and funds for the project earned by the scout. The scout is also in charge of the volunteers who help complete the project.

Kerby’s project was building four park benches for his school. The benches transform into picnic tables by pulling the back of the bench over onto the arms to form half a table top and pushing two halves together to form the table. Kerby earned the money through donations from Kiwanis Club of Lehigh Acres, car washes, yard sales and recycling aluminum cans for cash.

Kerby started his scouting career as a 7-year- old Tiger Cub in Cub Scout Pack 270 and transferred to Pack 11 at age 10. He crossed over to Boy Scout Troop 11 in 2006.

Kerby is currently a sophomore at Father Anglim Academy in Fort Myers. He has already earned three more merit badges toward his second Eagle Palm.