On June 5, The Boy Scouts of America held a Soaring Eagle Reception at the Plant City Photo Archives. Plant City community leaders, a representative of U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan, Hillsborough Community College campus presidents, and Boy Scout leadership attended the event.
Greater Tampa Bay Area Council, Timucua District sponsored the event and Catherine Eisenhart-Mora, District Executive, coordinated it. This council oversees an organization of 10,000 scouts in the Tampa Bay region. Currently there are 98 scouts in Plant City.
The Boy Scouts presented the Soaring Eagle Award to Dr. Felix Haynes. Haynes was selected for the award because of his, “Honesty, integrity, and outstanding community contribution” to Plant City.
During the ceremony, Timucua District Chair Michael French commented that Scouting prepares young people to do their best throughout their lives, and it is an opportunity for having fun with other kids, friends, and family.
“Scouting is the best program that exists for young people,” said Charles White, long-time Plant City attorney, who gave a challenge for people to donate to the Boy Scouts.
Before presenting the award, Ed Verner, owner of City Properties, Inc, spoke of Dr. Haynes’ early life experience, and his service to Plant City.
At eight years old, Haynes joined the Cub Scouts in Tampa, and stayed in scouting through his student years. Haynes then earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tampa. At age 22, he entered the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. “This was not enough for a young scout,” Verner commented. So, at age 25, after his service, Haynes got a Master’s degree and then a Doctorate. Afterwards, he began a 40-year career in college administration.
College administrators often move to different schools around the country. Haynes landed in Plant City in 1999 to assume the role of president of the Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Plant City campus. He lead HCC for 13 years. Since his arrival in Plant City, Haynes also heavily contributed to the community. Over the years, he has served in the Rotary Club, as the Chairman of United Way Fundraising Committee of Plant City, Chair of Downtown Luncheon Club, and on the Boards of the Chamber of Commerce, the Plant City Improvement League, the Plant City Development Corporation, the Plant City Photo Archives, and he helped lead the fundraising campaign for the YMCA building.
Haynes also supported the John Trinkle Center fundraising project. He helped raise over $2.5 million to build the Center on the HCC campus. “Felix did a masterful job in bringing people together,” Verner said.
At 65, Haynes retired from his college administrative career, but he didn’t stop making a difference. The director of Bruton Memorial Library departed and Plant City called on Dr. Haynes to take on the role of interim director while a search for a full-time director was underway.
After completing the interim assignment, Haynes became a founding partner and publisher in the last locally-owned newspaper—the Plant City Observer. In addition, Haynes has written three historic fictional novels. He also wrote one non-fiction biography about the man who is the father of the aircraft carrier.
When accepting the award, Haynes spoke of his journey with organizations seeking to better Plant City and the people who came together to make progress. “Hillsborough Community College…,” he said. “The reason I love community college is the middle “C”—community is what fired me up. It gave me the fire in the belly. Do you see why I get excited now about what we did in Plant City? I couldn’t have done it alone. I had to partner with all you wonderful people in this room. So, thank you all for everything you have done for me and all the happiness you have given me to work in Plant City for 25 years. Now let’s reach out to the Boy Scouts and help them.”
“At age 77 he is not done yet,” said Verner. “His is clearly a life of accomplishment, a life of values….There are a lot of young people in our area who have been well-served in the past by Scouting. There are thousands and thousands more who will need it.”
The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
The Scout Oath is, “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
The Scout Law is, “A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.”
Verner encouraged attendees to reach out to friends who haven’t engaged with Scouting recently, and bring them along to future meetings and events.
“This event is a restart for Boy Scouts in Plant City,” summed up William Thomas, Event Chair. “Local leaders agreed we need to reengage and reconnect with Scouting. Scouting has a positive impact—that is something we all agree on….we need to find ways to encourage others to continue with that.”