Friday, October 24, more than 200 Trailmen members of Trial Life USA assembled on the grounds of “Camp Aiken,” formerly the “Boys Home of the South” property, for the first-ever South Carolina Upstate area-organized event at “Camp Aiken.” Eight church-sponsored troops participated in the event.
The Trailmen and Leaders camped out in multicolored tents in the camp ground area, Friday and Saturday nights.
Saturday morning, the campers were up before 7 a.m. to eat breakfast, so they could attend the “flag raising ceremony.”
American Legion Post 3 Color Guard performed the “flag raising ceremony” as the Bugler played “Reveille.”
Saturday afternoon, the Trailmen and their Leaders assembled on the front property area near the three flag poles.
The “Boys Home of the South” Flag which has flown over this property for more than 50 years was reverently lowered by Trail Life’s Trailmen Color Guard, properly folded and presented to Al Squire, the last CEO of the “Boys Home of the South” Organization. Another color guard of Older Trailmen properly raised the Trail Life USA Flag in its place.
Mark Hancock, CEO of Trail Life USA was the keynote speaker.
All those attending this event were asked to gather around the large-namesake marker for the unveiling of the new name marker. The property is now known as Trail Life USA Charles Aiken Camp.
The K-12 program of Trail Life USA centers on outdoor experiences that build a young man’s skills and allow him to grow on a personal level and as a role model and leader for his peers. Living the Trail Life is a journey established on timeless values derived from the Bible. Our mission is simple and clear: to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure. The organization was founded in 2013 in reaction to changes in the membership policy of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).
Their vision is to be the premier national character development organization for young men which produces Godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens. The mission is simple and clear: to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure.
Their motto is “Walk Worthy” taken from Colossians 1:10.
The Trail Life USA Oath is:
On my honor, I will do my best
To serve God and my country;
To respect authority;
To be a good steward of creation;
And to treat others as I want to be treated.
The highest award within Trail Life is the Freedom Award which is meant to recognize young men who epitomize the Trail Life USA Oath and Motto. These young men have followed a predetermined and well-marked trail during their time in Trail Life USA. However, a Freedom Award recipient demonstrates that he is thoroughly equipped to chart his own course across the open rangelands and beyond the observed horizon.
The troop and ranking structure is as follows:
• The Woodlands Trail is for Kindergarten through 5th Grade:
• Foxes – Kindergarten to 1st grade
• Hawks – 2nd to 3rd grade
• Mountain Lions – 4th to 5th grade
• Are you in Middle School? Join our Navigators – 6th to 8th grade.
• High School boys are Adventurers – 9th to 12th grade.
The original 127 Acre farm that Trail Life USA received as a donation was owned by Walter W. Greer (1882-1945) and later left to his son W. Jack Greer, a WWII Veteran and then given as a permanent home for “boys” in living memory of his father.
Honoring a promise that Charles W. Aiken, Sr. made to himself and to God, should he return home safely from World War II, he founded on this property the Boys of America Home, as it was first called in 1959, with only two boys to care for.
Charles Aiken’s favorite motto was “Help a boy today to help America tomorrow” which became a “dream come true” not only when it was a home for boys, but now as a home where young boys can become the leaders of tomorrow under the guidance of Trail Life USA.
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Brittany Eppes of Easley, SC contributed to this article.