Justin Barr of Boy Scouts Troop 102 in Marion will receive his Eagle Scout award at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the Marion Community Ballroom, 203 N. 3rd St., Marion.
There will be a reception afterward in the city building basement. The reception will include a mock up of a campsite, demonstrations of some of the outdoors skills Boy Scouts learn, and pictures from various camping adventures. The idea is to show young families the fun of scouting.
With serious tribulations in his life, including surviving cancer and dealing with side effects of the treatments, the death of his father in 2003, being present when the only grandparent he ever knew died, and enduring six surgeries related to the aftereffects of his cancer treatments, two of which were life-threatening, Boy Scouts has been an important stabilizing factor for him, his mother said Monday.
The highlight of Barr’s scouting experience was attending the centennial National Jamboree in 2010 in Washington, D.C.
Barr selected an Eagle Scout leadership service project close to his heart. He led construction of a ceremonial fire ring at Camp Maurer Retreat Center in Excelsior Springs, Mo., for Camp Quality summer camp for children who are cancer patients and survivors. Barr has been a camper and is now a junior counselor at the camp, and he plans to continue for many years.