Merit Badge U. is education in service

The Merit Badge University event was an idea that was as uplifting as it was practical: a group of socially conscience college students helping a group of young Scouts interested in serving God and country.

Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity at Southeast Missouri State University conducted the event earlier this month in Dempster Hall. It was for Boy Scouts to earn merit badges as they work their way to Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in the organization.

The badges were for things such as citizen of the world, communication, landscape architecture, energy, chemistry, music and so forth. The diversity reflected the Scouting organization's desire to turn its members into well rounded adults.

Hosting 490 boys at such an event is no easy task for a group of college students, but Alpha Phi Omega did it virtually problem free.

And the fraternity enlisted a considerable amount of community support, particularly through donations of food and beverages. The fraternity and their supporters deserve our congratulations for a good idea and a job well done.