A room was filled to capacity Thursday evening with people gathered to show their continued support of the Boy Scout organization and to honor two distinguished men of the community.

    This year's kick-off fundraiser for the Boy Scout Association's Twin Rivers District of the Coastal Georgia Council, the Golden Eagle Dinner hosted at The Hall by 40 East Grill in downtown Statesboro, raised more than $12,000 in pledges and donations toward the group's $25,000 goal.

    Keynote speaker Paul Grassey, a former U.S. bomber pilot who was assigned to the 446th Bomber Group, was part of the "Mighty Eighth" Air Force and flew 13 combat missions over Europe during World War II, spoke to those in attendance of the six pillars of character as he wrote about in his book, "It's Character That Counts": trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

    "Ike said the qualities of a great man were vision, integrity, courage, understanding, the power of articulation and profundity of character," Grassey said, referring to the words of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. "Young people need profundity of character. I can't think of a better way to do that than Boy Scouts."

    Each year since 2010, a Good Scout Award is presented at the annual fundraising dinner to honor a Scout who gives ardently to the organization with his time and service. This year's honoree was Emory Melton, and the award was presented to his family, represented by his wife, Vilette, and sons Emerson and Derrel.

    Melton, who lost his battle with cancer in January of this year, knew of the impending award.

    "I was able to share with Emory in the fall that he'd been chosen for the award," said Scout Master Lovett Bennett. "He was honored."

    Melton served more than 25 years as Scout Master of Statesboro Primitive Baptist Church's Troop 342 and received the Silver Beaver Award in 1973. As recently as 2014, Melton served on a Boy Scout board of review.

    Melton was a passionate but unassuming member of the community in many other ways. He was an avid blood donor and active member of Statesboro Primitive Baptist Church. He was also the first licensed EMT in Bulloch County, helped organize the first rescue unit locally, volunteered with the Statesboro Fire Department for more than 45 years and was one of the original members of the fire department's CAFÉ Unit.

    Some of his other awards and honors include the Distinguished Service Award from the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro, Man of the Year Award from the Rotary Club, a Deen Day Smith Service to Mankind Award and the Statesboro Herald Humanitarian of the Year Award.

    "If Pop had been here, he'd be proud but also a little embarrassed. He didn't like to be in the limelight," Emerson Melton said of his father as he accepted the award Thursday.

    He said he was aware of many of the things his father did for Scouts, but he would often find out much later just how much his dad served the Scouting organization.

    "Sometimes there were kids in my troop that had more needs than others. On a camping trip, they would have the sleeping bag and packs they needed. And he would say, 'Oh, someone dropped them off at the church,' or 'Somebody donated them.' I found out much later that Pop bought them himself for the scouts," Melton said.

    New to the event this year was the presentation of a Golden Eagle Award. Given to a member of the community who exemplifies the Boy Scout slogan of "Do a good turn daily" and based on his or her work in the community with young people, the committee selected Georgia Southern University President Dr. Brooks Keel to receive this year's award.

    Keel said he was flattered and humbled and recognized that there were others deserving as well.

    "It is especially overwhelming to be recognized with such an honor by an organization that devotes itself to the development of young people and promotes such outstanding leadership characteristics as the Boy Scouts of America," Keel said. "Scouting affords youth with an opportunity to try new things, to provide service to others to build self-confidence and to reinforce ethical standards — the very foundations that they will need to lead happy, healthy and productive lives as adults.

    "Our country needs more young people who are prepared to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes and who are trustworthy, loyal, helpful and all the other things prescribed by the Scout Law," Keel continued. "Furthermore, we need future leaders who dedicate themselves to helping people at all times and to keeping themselves physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

                "Scouting teaches young people these tenants and offers life lessons that will serve these future leaders for many years to come," he said.