By W. Winston Skinner

NEWNAN – Brian Ziifle got his start in Boy Scouting at his church, St. George Catholic Church, and he got his Eagle badge for a project at the church.

Ziifle, 20, is proud of his accomplishment, as are his family, his friends and his church. Ziifle was born with Down syndrome, and he also has a hearing problem.

His mother, Helen Ziifle, explained that her son’s handicaps simply mean that it may take him a little longer to do what other people do. She also said that the caring atmosphere of the Newnan community has helped Brian to achieve his Eagle Scout designation.

Several years ago, Mrs. Ziifle was attending a church meeting in another state. She talked with a young man there who was wheelchair bound.

The man had cerebral palsy, and it was difficult to understand his speech. “He tried to speak, but I couldn’t understand anything,” Mrs. Ziifle recalled.

With great difficulty, he pulled his wallet from his pocket, flippd it open and showed Mrs. Ziifle his Eagle Scout card. Mrs. Ziifle realized that although his speech was hard to understand, people everywhere recognized the Eagle Scout designation as a sign of maturity and achievement.

She returned to Newnan and talked with Bill Dailey, a St. George member who has been active in scouting for years.

They determined that Brian could still be enrolled as a Cub Scout. Helen Ziifle immediately began recruiting adult leaders and Cubs, while Dailey helped with arrangements and gave the initial orientation to the Cubs.

Mrs. Ziifle said that St. George had a Scout troop about 10 years earlier. She contacted Jim Lawson, an Eagle Scout, who agreed to become pack leader for the revitalized troop.

Brian Ziifle loved being in Cub Scouts and then in Webelos and Boy Scouts. “A badge was a very tangible thing that he could work on,” his mother said.

Lawson led Ziifle’s Webelos group. Brian then joined a Scout troop at Newnan First Methodist Church led by Danny Royal and Joel Holloway. At a camping trip, he saw several boys from Western School, where he was then attending.

The boys were part of a troop led by Chris Corpe at Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church. Brian decided he would like to join that troop since there were other students from his school there.

Although there were no other handicapped youngsters in the troop, the boys and leaders unanimously agreed to invite Brian to join. Later, they elected Brian to the Order of the Arrow.

Many friends from that troop were at the Eagle Scout ceremonies on June 1 at St. George’s.

Mrs. Ziifle said that her family chose to live in Newnan because of its openness to people with handicaps when they relocated to the South. “He’s never been turned away from opportunities,” she said.

Brian’s project was building an outdoor cross and altar of cypress at St. George’s. The project included placing steps to the worship area.

The first outdoor Mass was said at the altar on Easter morning. Brian wanted to do something for his church as his Eagle project because of the support his church has provided him in scouting.

Father Leo Herbert gave Brian the idea for the outdoor cross and altar. “He suggested the project because another church he had been in had one and found it useful,” Mrs. Ziifle said.

Brian dedicated the project to his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Ita Mae Ziifle. She died about a year before Brian got his Eagle Scout badge, but she knew he was working on it.

The last time she saw Brian she told him, “I want you to go all the way.”

Mr. Skinner is assistant news editor at the Newnan Time Herald.