By CATHERINE LEGG / Community Columnist

Montevallo Boy Scout Troop 525 recently attended the annual Boy Scout summer camp at Camp Sequoyah in the Cheaha Mountain area. The boys had a great time with a combination of work, study, fun challenges and major accomplishments.

The troop’s proud leaders are Terry Edwards, scoutmaster; Jim Lawley, assistant scoutmaster; and Robert Hinds, assistant scoutmaster. The scouts are Ryan Edwards, Jacob Lawley, Zach Cox, Robbie Hinds, Blake Cox, Hunter Greer, Kenneth McCutcheon, Cebastian Cardozo, Joseph Cardozo and Mason Thomas.

The campers earned a total of 23 merit badges toward their Eagle Scout status, which is the highest rank in Boy Scouts. The badges were in archery, climbing, fingerprinting, fly-fishing, geology, law, orienteering, rifle shooting, shotgun shooting, wilderness survival and swimming.

Edwards explained that four of the scouts (Ryan, Jacob, Robbie and Zach) completed their hunter’s education course. It required them to have gained, or to be presently working on, the archery, rifle shooting, shotgun shooting and fish and wildlife management merit badges, and, for each, to have completed a two-hour class in which they had to take a test.

Some of the highlights of the trip: Hunter completed the one-mile swim. Mason earned the top shot award in shotgun shooting, hitting 48 out of 50 moving targets. The troop earned first place in camp site inspection for having a clean camp, the tents in order, flying the American, troop and patrol flags; building a gateway into their camp; and building gadgets such as garbage cans and clothes lines.

The summer camp was not all about hard work, and the boys did many just-for-fun things after their merit badge classes. They went fishing, played on the waterslide and went to a place called Adventure Valley. They panned for gold, hiked, made ice cream, went rock climbing, swimming and canoeing.

“The Boy Scouts always have a great time at camp,” said Edwards, “and they get to learn to take on responsibilities as a group and as an individual. They enjoy the camaraderie of being with the other Boy Scouts singing camp songs and eating camp food in the dining hall. Our boys can’t wait to go back to camp next year.”

Troop 525 meets twice a month on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm at the Boy Scout Lodge in Orr Park. Among their many other activities, they go on a camp out or hike once a month when the weather permits.

For information about the program, contact Terry Edwards at 296-3048 or No1Zebco33@aol.com. For information about the cub scout program, contact Benny Argo at 665-0923 or bennya1234@yahoo.com.

Catherine Legg can be reached by email at clegg2@bellsouth.net.