DUANE SHERRILLEditor

Citing their impact on the community, the Friends of Scouting conferred the Tullahoma Good Scout Award on Louis and Ann Baldwin during their awards luncheon this past week.

“They have both made a huge impact on the community,” revealed presenter Greg Gressel, noting that whether it be music, teaching or volunteering, the Baldwins have been there to contribute to Tullahoma for many years. “Louis and Ann Baldwin have been staples in Tullahoma for many years.”

Ann is a retired Tullahoma High School music teacher who passionately taught generations of singers for 40 years in the school system and then 16 years in private lessons and directed the Tullahoma Civic Choir. She also pioneered the award-winning Showcats. During that same time, Louis served as director of the Tullahoma Day Care Center and was also involved in downtown, the school system and is an artist himself. Working together they have made a huge impact on the Arts community and South Jackson Performing Arts Center.

“Not a lot of people know this but it was Louis who designed the logo for South Jackson Performing Arts Center,” Gressel noted, adding that Ann has been a rock when it comes to offering her help with putting on shows.

The honor for the couple comes after they were chosen to be the grand marshals at last year’s Christmas Parade.

“Everyone has been so wonderful to us,” Ann said as she accepted the award alongside Louis to a standing ovation. “We are just trying to make our community a better place.”

Also speaking to the audience at the Tullahoma Good Scout Award Luncheon was Tullahoma’s first female Eagle Scout, Kaitlyn Brown of Troop 1581.

She praised scouting, noting she began her journey in 2019 with some help from her brother who was also a scout.

“I come from a legacy of Eagle Scouts,” she told the audience, noting many members of her family had achieved the high honor.

She was able to earn her Eagle Scout by building the Sensory Trail Communications Board at HorsePlay. However, she did not stop there as she has earned a total of 46 merit badges and counting and is an Order of the Arrow representative.

“You get to do new things and learn things that you might not have otherwise learned,” she noted, adding she hopes to someday go into the field of cybersecurity.

The event also served as a primary fundraiser with $22,800 being raised, constituting 81 percent of their goal of $28,000.

The Elk River District highlights included that there are 11 Cub Scout packs, 13 BSA Troops and one Venturing Crew, serving 532 youths thanks to 200 volunteers. There have been 14 Eagle Scouts come from the District and over 1,400 hours of community service work recorded by the group.