The annual Golden Eagle Dinner, under the direction of this year's chairman James Westbury, will take place on March 20. The event will raise support for the Boy Scouts of America, Flint River Council, and will honor local community leader Bill Edwards.

“Bill Edwards exhibits the most rare and precious traits embodied in the Boy Scout values: vision, determination and faithfulness,” said Assistant Scout Executive for the Flint River Council Mike Beer. “Mr. Edwards illustrates the American Dream.”

Edwards is the chairman for United Bank Corporation.

The Golden Eagle Dinner is the largest fundraiser to support the work of the Boy Scouts in Pike and Spalding counties. In 2011, more than 130 scouts earned their Eagle Scout badge, the highest rank possible in scouting, according to Sims Bostic, district executive for the Boy Scouts. All of them completed an extensive community service project, varying from community gardens to hiking trails to building items needed at a church. Scouts also collected more 50,000 items of food for local food banks in February.

“We are honoring Mr. Edwards because of his similar values with scouting and his work ethic,” Bostic said.

Westbury and the leadership team are united in generating support so the Boy Scouts can continue their local youth and programming activities like the Pinewood Derby, Scouting for Food and camping events.

Last year, the dinner raised more than $80,000, but additional donations came in, bringing the total to over $95,000.

The Golden Eagle Dinner will be held at the Griffin Kiwanis Event Center, with registration beginning at 6 p.m.

PetroSouth and Brightmoor Hospice are sponsors of the event at the platinum and silver levels, respectively. Other local businesses are invited to support scouting through corporate sponsorships of the event. Platinum level sponsorships are more than $2,500, gold sponsorships are $1500 and silver sponsorships are $750. Each sponsorship includes seats at the dinner.

For more information about sponsoring the Golden Eagle Dinner, joining the Boy Scouts of America or giving to the Boy Scouts, contact Mike Beer at mike.beer@scouting.org or 770-227-4556. You can also send a donation to Attn: Pike-Spalding Golden Eagle Dinner, Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 173, Griffin, GA 30224.

“Scouting continues to thrive due to friends like you who provide the funds to support our mission: to instill values in young people,” Beer said.