Cole Butler joins ranks of Eagle Scouts at Aurora church

Cole Butler became the 183rd Eagle Scout at Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora Jan. 19.

Butler, 17, of North Aurora, was awarded the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America.

He was feted in a court of honor held by Blackhawk Troop 11, Three Fires Council, at Wesley UMC. Troop 11, the second oldest in Illinois, was founded in 1916 at Galena Episcopal Methodist Church, predecessor of Wesley UMC.

Butler is a senior honors student at West Aurora High School. He plans to attend Illinois State University this fall.

To earn his Eagle, Butler coordinated 30 Scouts who set 17 new grave markers and cleaned and reset 30 existing markers of Civil War veterans in Riverside Cemetery in Montgomery in 2016. The refurbished markers were dedicated in a ceremony Oct. 29, 2016, at the cemetery.

Butler undertook his project in conjunction with the cemetery, Montgomery Historic Preservation Commission and Philip H. Sheridan Camp No. 2 of the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War.

Todd Carlson, Butler's first scoutmaster, presided at the court of honor. The event opened with Troop 11 scouts posting the colors.

After Carlson recounted Butler's scouting achievements, Troop 11 Eagle Scouts Harris Shafi and Justin Huberty presented Butler's Eagle neckerchief. Butler presented ceremonial pins to his mother, Ruth, and father, Jeff, Troop 11 committee chairman.

Butler presented mentor pins to Carlson, Wesley Eagle Steve Norman who introduced Scouting to Butler and Jeff Holwerda, children/youth pastor at Living Hope Church in North Aurora.

Fox Valley U.S. Marine Corps veterans Thomas Bulin of Oswego, Al Scott of Aurora, and Ted Clinnin of Sugar Grove presented Butler with a certificate and Ka-Bar Marine fighting knife.

Other speakers were Sarah Bragg, Troop 11 scoutmaster; and Cecil Piggott, Troop 11 assistant scoutmaster.

Refreshments provided by Famous Dave's restaurant in Oswego concluded the event.