It was May 31, 1985, and schools across the United States were finishing up for the summer. Seventeen-year-old Shari Smith, of Lexington, South Carolina, had just completed her final year at Lexington High School. The following days were going to be busy, but Shari was excited.
Read MoreThis story begins on Oct. 11, 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Margaret Johnson gave birth to her fourth child with her husband, Oba Chandler Sr. The child, a boy, was named after his father, and would often go by “Obie”. It became clear from an early age that Oba was going to be a difficult child. School was not something that he viewed as particularly worth his time, and he ended up failing the fourth grade due to truancy.
Read MoreWillshire is a small, rural village, located in Van Wert County, Ohio. It is quintessentially middle-American - residents mostly work on their farms, in one of the village’s few small businesses or in nearby factories. There is a library, a post office, an antique store, a couple of family-run restaurants, a park and a church. The Ohio/Indiana state line is about a half-mile to the west of Willshire, and St Marys River runs to the east. It is a close knit and safe community where neighbors look out for one another.
Read MoreI realize it’s cliche to describe someone as a person who lights up a room each time they enter, but with Mollie, it was true. She was kind, thoughtful and always saw the best in everybody. Her radiant smile and warm brown eyes had a way of putting everyone she encountered at ease.
Read More"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" is the stated mission of The Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Established in 1910, the BSA is recognized worldwide as a distinct part of American culture, portrayed in countless movies, books and other forms of media. As of 2017, the BSA has 2.3 million members and about one million adult volunteers nationwide.
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