Charles Waters achieves Boy Scouts’ highest rank of Eagle Scout

Charles Waters, son of Jaime and Jessica Waters of Waukon, has achieved Boy Scouts’ highest rank of Eagle Scout, being recently designated with the honor October 15. He is a member of Waukon Boy Scout Troop 64 under the leadership of Scoutmaster Troy Lubahn.

Waters began his scouting career as a Bear Cub with Waukon Cub Scout Pack 64 in September of 2012. He achieved the highest rank in Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light, in April of 2015. At that time, he became a member of Boy Scout Troop 64.

As a Boy Scout member, Waters has held such leadership positions as Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader, Quartermaster, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and he currently holds the position of OA Troop Representative. While working through his six ranks in Scouting, from Scout to Eagle, Waters has earned 23 merit badges, some of which include First Aid, Communication, Environmental Science, Lifesaving and Personal Management.

Waters has also spent 65 nights camping at Camp C.S. Klaus and at other local camping areas with his fellow Scouts. He has also participated in 237 hours of volunteer community service which has included such areas as tree planting, omelet breakfast set-up and serving, roadside clean-up, RAGBRAI®, trail clean-up and clearing brush.

Waters also received the high honor of being inducted into the Timmeu Lodge 74, being awarded the Order of the Arrow rank August 27, 2017. He then achieved his Brotherhood rank August 11 of this year.

To achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, every Scout has to supervise and execute a service project that would benefit either a religious institution, school or community. Loving the outdoors himself and feeling as if others in the community should enjoy the outdoors as well, Waters chose to build a shelter on the 5 Bridges Trail in the Waukon City Park for all ages to be able to stop at and relax while walking the trail system in the City Park.

Throughout his Eagle Scout project, Waters worked with Waukon Park and Recreation Wellness Director Jeremy Strub, along with the Park and Recreation Board and City of Waukon personnel, attending meetings and coordinating plans to obtain a building permit and work out other logistics of his project. He began the planning process in January of this year and broke ground once the weather allowed, completing his Eagle Scout shelter project in July.

Under Waters’ leadership, his Eagle Scout project took 94.25 hours from planning to final building completion, with the help of fellow Scouts, his Scoutmaster, family and friends. The project cost was finalized at $909.81, and Waters sought help in financing the project through donations from local businesses and community members.

Waters is currently a sophomore at Waukon High School. He is active in both football and track, and he received Academic Achievement honors during his freshman year of high school. He plans to continue to be active in Boy Scouts while still in high school. His future plans upon graduation from high school are to attend Hawkeye Community College for Conservation Management and then transfer to a four-year college to earn a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources, with career plans to be a Department of Natural Resources Officer/Game Warden.