Eagle Tips - Brother Act
By: Kristine Theriault Posted On: 2012-12-28I received an email the other day from a list subscriber who wondered about the propriety of recognizing two brothers at the same court of honor. My answer, of course, was yes. Doing so would maximize attendance and simplify attendance for out-of-town relatives.
There was a kicker, however. One brother is still in the troop, while the other is over 18 and hadn’t previously had a court of honor (because he originally didn’t want one).
So how could you honor two brothers like that in the same ceremony? Three things would help:
Do something in the ceremony that subtly emphasizes the older brother’s position and relative maturity. For example, include a Scout Law candle ceremony in which he does the narrating while his younger brother lights the candles.
Give each brother a separate, personalized Eagle charge, using two different presenters chosen by the honorees. (The third edition of The Eagle Court of Honor Book includes a charge designed specifically for an honoree who’s already turned 18 and entered college.)
Conduct the presentation phase of the ceremony jointly. Have the mother present the older brother’s medal first, then the younger brother’s, etc.
Those simple tweaks should yield a ceremony that gives both brothers the attention they deserve within a single ceremony. What do you think? I’d love to hear your ideas; email me at mark@eaglebook.com.