Twenty-eight young men from Spalding County earned their Eagle Scout badges in 2010. And the American Legion Post 15, represented by its commander Jim King, awarded the 20 of them who attended the Kiwanis Club of Griffin meeting Wednesday with a Good Citizenship Citation.

“To have 28 Eagle Scouts in one year is amazing. It’s unbelievable. You worked hard. You earned it,” said King before handing each Eagle Scout the certificate.

Steve Trawick, assistant scout master of Troop 2, pointed out that of 100 boys who join scouting, only five will earn the rank of Eagle.

“In scouting, the Eagle stands for strength of character and knowledge of all phases of scouting,” Trawick said. “The Eagle is the climax of the work of many years.”

One of the Eagle Scouts at the Kiwanis meeting, Robert “Bobby” Peek, also received a Medal of Merit from Flint River Council Executive Director Chuck Brasfield for putting out a house fire on South Hill Street on July 23 that most likely saved the entire building.

Peek received a distinguished honor, as only 16 of such awards - four medals of honor, four medals of heroism, four medals of merit and four certificates of merit - are given out each year by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

The final words of the meeting belonged to Kiwanis Club of Griffin President Jim Grubbs, who recognized the parents of the Eagle Scouts for playing a tremendous role in their children’s success. Then, addressing the young men being honored, he said, “You are the kind of people that would make great Kiwanians in the future.”