Project Reverence

I'm really excited to say that we got our first request for assistance from the "Riciglliano-Watkins Uniform Fund" last week!
We were able to help someone get new scouting slacks before they left for summer camp!

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Eagle Scout and U.S. Army Reservist Declan Coady, a 20-year-old from West Des Moines and student at Drake University, who was killed in action on March 1 in Kuwait.

Posthumously promoted to sergeant, Declan served as an Information Technologies Specialist with the 103rd Sustainment Command. He was known for his quiet strength, dedication, and willingness to step forward in service to others. He deployed to Kuwait in 2025, choosing to serve his country even when he had the option not to.

We also honor the three fellow reservists who lost their lives in the same attack: Cody A. Khork, Noah L. Tietjens, and Nicole M. Amor.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Coady family, their loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic loss. We honor Declan’s courage, commitment, and ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation, and we stand in support of all Gold Star families during this difficult time.

Learn more here:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/boy-scout-soldier-iowa-remembers-034313951.html

Unlike most American kids, 12-year-old Robert Wada participated in Boy Scouts behind a barbed wire fence at the Poston concentration camps in Arizona during World War II.

Wada and his family were among the more than 120,000 Japanese American people, most of them United States citizens, uprooted from West Coast regions during World War II after President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942.

Under the constant gaze of armed guards, inmates started schools, newspapers, sports teams, theater groups, and other civic organizations.

When Wada and other boys at Poston decided to establish a Boy Scout troop, they designated themselves as “Troop 100” to honor the 100th Infantry Battalion, a U.S. combat unit comprised of mostly second-generation Japanese Americans. In this Boy Scout uniform in our National Museum of American History, Wada went camping, earned merit badges, and participated in parades honoring American soldiers departing for World War II.

As an adult, Wada enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and served as a tank crewman during the Korean War. He proudly participated in veterans' organizations until his death in 2023.

This week, as we honor Black history in Scouting, we celebrate the legacy of Troop 242, one of Houston's pioneer African-American Scouting troops. Established in 1965, Troop 242 has been a pillar of support for Houston's Black communities. Their unwavering dedication to service has uplifted countless lives and fostered the growth of over 180 Eagle Scouts over the past six decades.

Look at the past with us, as we explore Troop 242's first Eagle Scout ceremony. Pictured is Clarence Miller, who earned his Eagle Scout rank in June 1967. This moment was just the beginning of Miller's profound impact on Troop 242. He became the unit leader, a role he would honorably serve for over two decades.

Today, Troop 242 continues to make a profound impact on the community, furthering the legacy of outstanding youth in Scouting.

Because it matters.

February is Black History Month!

Collier County Museums takes this time to honor and celebrate the history, culture, and invaluable contributions of Black individuals who have helped shape our communities into what they are today.

The Black History Baggage Car Project is a meaningful collaboration with the NAACP and Friends of Collier County Museums, dedicated to preserving and sharing these important stories.

👉 If you would like to share your story, please contact Museum Manager Lisa Marciano 239-252-8421.

Let us come together to celebrate the rich and diverse history of Collier County’s Black communities.

In 1919, Hamilton Bradley earned the rank of Eagle Scout in New York, becoming the earliest known African American to achieve Scouting’s highest honor. At a time when opportunities for African Americans in Scouting were limited, his accomplishment stood as a powerful testament to perseverance, leadership, and a deep commitment to service, the very principles that define Scouting.

Today, less than 5% of Scouts who join the program earn the rank of Eagle Scout and among those, less than 1% are minorities. During Black History Month, we honor trailblazers like Hamilton Bradley, whose courage and dedication opened doors for future generations.

As one of those proud minorities, I, Jonathan Rodriguez, am honored to follow in his footsteps, continuing the legacy of Scouting, service, and love for America.

A look back when we first teamed up with the Collier NAACP & Collier Museums to bring this dream a reality.

Teen plans to identify historic graves in Collier County cemetery A 15-year-old boy is working to restore a historic Collier County cemetery in the hope of identifying eight unnamed Black people buried there and bringing the entire gravesite the respect