Donations can be made at any Independent Bank office through December 30. The donations will be given to the Boy Scouts of America so that they can purchase the popcorn from Trail’s End and send it to troops.

“Independent Bank is proud to support the Boy Scouts and give back to our dedicated troops for the holidays,” said President and CEO Michael M. Magee Jr.

For more information on Operation Popcorn, visit www.supportourtropps.org.

Andrew Manning has completed the requirements to be an Eagle Scout.

Future Eagle Scout Andrew Manning, 17, a senior at Rockford High School, thought of his former elementary school when it was time for his last Boy Scout project. The strides he’s made in his career with the organization are nothing short of amazing, as few Scouts ever make it to Eagle Scout, the organization’s greatest honor. For Manning, the real march for success has been even more personal—a series of grueling surgeries and recoveries to correct defects in his feet he suffered from his whole life.

Manning has had pain in his feet his whole life, but his family never knew the extent of the problem. He said he didn’t know if it was just natural growing pains and, having suffered from it his entire life, he didn’t realize it wasn’t normal. When he sprained his ankle in gym class and went to see a doctor about it, the extent of his problem became clear.

“I went from doctor to doctor to specialist to surgeon,” Manning said.

A problem with his bones had been the cause of his pain, and the doctors couldn’t believe he’d been walking with the condition his whole life, much less waterskiing and tubing.

The diagnosis: major, complicated surgeries involving months of rehabilitation and keeping off his feet. Then, more surgeries on the other foot with the same pain and rehabilitation afterward. He had surgery on his right foot in March 2010 and the second nearly a year later—sooner than his doctors would have liked, but the timing took advantage of time off school to miss as little as possible. Manning is philosophical about it.

“You wouldn’t ever choose to go through it,” he said. “But if you have to go through it, this was the best time of my life to do it. If I was older and found out about the problem, I wouldn’t be as young and strong to recover. If I had been younger, I would have had to have more surgeries because my bones wouldn’t have been close to their full size.”

Teachers at Lakes Elementary School had called The Rockford Squire to do a story on Manning, not because of his surgeries, but because of the impressive project and his thoughtful nature.

As a student at Lakes from 1999 to 2005, Manning remembers enjoying time outdoors, watching birds at feeders and sitting at a bench nearby. He remembers sitting at a picnic table on the school grounds.

Now those items seem to have gone, perhaps worn out and not replaced. Manning has changed that.

His Eagle project is impressive. With money he raised himself and is still raising, he paid for materials to construct two 10-foot long benches, two picnic tables, and five bird feeders. The benches are made of white oak with a beautiful, natural finished look. The bases are steel. “Lakes Elementary” is stenciled on each and protected by heavy varnishing. Each bench weighs 230 pounds and will be lagged to cement bases along the wall of the school.

The picnic tables are treated pine tops with galvanized steel bases, also with “Lakes Elementary” stenciled on.

The cost of the project is an estimated $1,200 and has exceeded 100 working hours.

Manning said Eagle Scout projects are meant to be leadership efforts, so much of the work was done by younger Scouts of Bostwick Lake Congregational Church Troop 228 under his supervision. He still has over $500 to raise (donations can be dropped off at Lakes). When the benches, tables and birdfeeders are installed, other students will be able to enjoy the benefit of his efforts for years, and enjoy the elementary school just as he did.

As he graduates from Rockford High School next spring, Manning hopes to attend Michigan State University in premed and eventually become an orthopedic surgeon. He wants to help people just like his surgeons have helped him.

“I think it is really important from a surgeon’s perspective to know what it’s like to go through it,” he said. “It’s one thing to do it and see the results. It’s another thing to go through it and see the results.”

Manning said it hasn’t been an easy journey and he still has years before his feet and ankles will be strong enough to do things others his age take for granted. He’ll be glad to get there down the road, but is happy where he is at today.

“I definitely got better at crutches,” he said, “and I am able to walk my senior year.”

Scouts and veterans pay tribute to the American Flag during the playing of “Taps.”

“This is a great opportunity for our kids to connect the past with present by honoring the men and women who have fought for our country,” said Scout Coordinator Kelly McLellan. “Having the veterans join us this year is an added bonus.”

Following the placement of the flags, everyone was treated to a cookout dinner by the Gardens’ staff.

Cub Scouts Sean McLellan and Evan Coberly decorate the graves of veterans.

Sgt. Jamie Denslow leads the Northview High School band in musical honor to our nation’s veterans during a ceremony in Belmont on Veteran’s Day, November 11.

A ceremony in Belmont for veterans on this Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, was by far the largest held there, said Plainfield Township Supervisor George Meek. Meek read a description he found defining a veteran. He said a veteran is someone who has written a blank check in service of his country, payable up to his life. He then introduced State Representative Vern Ehlers.

Ehlers spoke briefly to the crowd, recognizing that the country now mourns the loss of 13 people at Ft. Hood, an act of cowardice. “It is unthinkable to face the loss of loved ones in the safety of our own forts,” Ehlers stated. He reminded the crowd of the heavy cost of war, and said the holiday was created in 1919 to commemorate the end of World War I, the “war to end all wars.”

Plainfield Township Supervisor George Meek speaks during a ceremony at the Belmont veterans memorial on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov.11. Behind him are State Representative Vern Ehlers, Representive Tom Pearce and Senator Mark Jensen.

“It was such a horrible war, it was vowed at the 11th hour of the 11th month that we would never have another. That’s why Veteran’s Day is always November 11,” Ehlers stated. Veterans now comprise 20 percent of our country’s population. He spoke on the heavy burden of making political decisions regarding military action in times of war. “The toughest votes I cast in Washington are military.”

He said it is a time in our nation’s history where we are not safe on our own soil and have to fear attack. “Even in sweet Grand Rapids and our suburbs we are not safe,” he said. He told the crowd that of the six million Americans who will receive care from the Veterans Administration, 220,000 will have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ehlers said when the United States was attacked on September 11, we first responded with attacks in Afghanistan, since that was where the 9/11 attacks were initiated. “We should have stayed there longer instead of moving to Iraq too early and ended up fighting a major war there.” Ehlers challenged the crowd to thank veterans who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe.

Meek further reminded all to remember those veterans who have never returned home or been accounted for in the wars through the years. He listed those who have been missing in action, and further mentioned Michigan military specifically. He said the bodies or locations of 361 from Michigan have never been recovered from the Korean War; from Vietnam, 53 have never been found; four from the Cold War; and one from Iraq. He also urged people not to forget the 600,000 people lost in the Civil War.

“Wherever you look, whoever you talk to, you will hear stories of war,” Meek stated.

Vern Ehlers speaks during the ceremony of the heavy burden of making decisions regarding military action during times of war.

Local Boy Scouts stand with their hands on their hearts during the playing of taps and a gun salute by the Sons of the American Legion Post 258 Color Guard.

Members of Cub Scout Pack 3285 Crestwood School take part in the August 28 Whitecaps evening festivities. They are (front row, l–r) Jimmy Helm, Justin Fraula, Evan Coberly, Sean McLellan, Jason Andrus; (back) leaders Bill Helm, Guy McLellan and Greg Coberly.

Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts were honored by the West Michigan Whitecaps at their home game on Friday, August 28, for the service they give to our community. To begin the night’s festivities, leaders and kids joined together for a parade around the field. Various Scouts continued to assist with game-opening activities by throwing a ceremonial first pitch, escorting the players to the field and presenting the colors for the National Anthem. Following the game, the outfield became a field of tents as Scouts settled in for the annual Scout Campout and movie night on the stadium’s big screens.

PLAY BALL—Rockford’s Crestwood Pack 3285 is led by Jason Andrus carrying the pack flag during the Scout parade at the Whitecaps game.