Chris Fansler, 18, son of Larry and Candy Fansler of Seymour, and Russell Monett, 18, son of Sharon Monett of Knoxville and James Monett of Portland, Oregon, were awarded their Eagle Scout badges at a shared Court of Honor on Friday, May 22, at the FOP Volunteer Lodge in South Knoxville.  They were honored to have Knox County commissioners, Paul Pinkston and Mike Brown present at their Court of Honor, as well as Mr. Lincoln, an adult male bald eagle, along with his handler, master falconer Mike Acuff, from Dollywood’s American Eagle Foundation.
The two young men are longtime friends who came up through scouts in Troop 255 together and earned their Eagle Scout badges within two weeks of each other.  Chris’s Eagle project was building and installing new shelves for the band instruments at Seymour High School, from which he graduated on Friday, May 29.  Russell’s Eagle project was the restoration of an unused softball field that can also be converted to a soccer field with removable goals at his church, Meridian Baptist, on Chapman Highway.
During his nine years in Scouts, Chris earned 27 merit badges and was elected a member of the Order of the Arrow.  Next fall, Chris will attend UT-Chattanooga, where he plans to major in business.  Chris is a member of Seymour United Methodist Church.
Russell earned 31 merit badges during his 11 years as a Scout and has returned to Camp Buck Toms for his third year as a merit badge instructor.  He graduated from South Doyle High School in May and plans to attend MTSU in Murfreesboro in the fall, majoring in astronautical engineering.   
Fansler and Monett were honored to receive two proclamations, from Knox County mayor Mike Ragsdale and Knox County commissioner Paul Pinkston, and a resolution from Knox County Commission at the May 26 commission meeting.  The young men also received congratulatory letters from many well-wishers, including U.S. Senator Bob Corker; U.S. Congressman John Duncan, Jr.; Governor Phil Bredesen; state senator Jamie Woodson; state representative Joe Armstrong; and mayors Bill Haslam and Mike Ragsdale.  
The young men are now adult leaders alongside their mentor and longtime leader, scoutmaster Sam Lawhorn, with Troop 255, Sequoyah District of Great Smoky Mountain Council.  The troop’s sponsor organizations are Colonial Heights United Methodist Church and FOP Volunteer Lodge 2.

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