Since reaching the rank of Eagle Scout in 1970, Rotarian Bill Pokorny has graduated from the University of Florida, served in the Navy for three decades and run an aviation business. He strongly believes the traits he developed through Scouting helped him find success in life.

“More than anything else, becoming an Eagle Scout helped me learn what it means to stick to something that’s difficult and see it through to the finish,” he said.

Pokorny, a member of the Rotary Club of Gainesville, is now helping the newest generation of Eagle Scouts reach their career goals. Working with the North Florida Council of Boy Scouts, he established a new initiative called ‘Eagle Scout Career Day.’ Young men who have recently attained the rank of Eagle Scout had an opportunity to shadow Rotarians at work, then attended a Rotary meeting as guests of the club. During the meeting they were presented with certificates of recognition and were praised by guest speaker Jeremy Foley, the University of Florida’s Athletic Director and a former Boy Scout.

“I commend you for what you’ve accomplished,” he told the Eagle Scouts in attendance. “It takes a lot of commitment to become an Eagle Scout, and I know it’s something you’ll always look back on with pride.”

Pokorny spent several hours taking Gainesville High School senior Alex Costakis and Buchholz High School junior Ross Cawthon on a tour of University Air Center, where he works as the general manager. The two had an opportunity to sit in the cockpit of several planes, look inside an engine and visit the air control tower.

“It was pretty cool,” said Costakis, who became an Eagle Scout in December. “I’ve been thinking of getting into a career in aviation, and the experience this morning gave me a lot of insight into that field.”

“I really liked being around the technology,” said Cawthon, an Eagle Scout since January of 2007. “It’s interesting to see all the behind-the-scenes things that have to go on so that you can get to another city.”

Eagle Scout is the highest rank a Boy Scout can achieve. To attain Eagle rank, a Scout must earn a significant number of merit badges, serve in leadership roles and spend at least 100 hours developing and implementing a community service project.

Gary Stasco, the Alachua District Director for the Boy Scouts, says the pairing of new Eagle Scouts with Rotary members is a natural.

“We wanted them to see that there’s an organization where they can continue the service they learned as they progressed through their Boy Scout careers,” he said.   

“Rotary is all about service to the community, and so are the Boy Scouts,” said Pokorny. “When you review the service projects that they completed on the way to Eagle, you can’t help but be impressed by what they’ve done.”

Rotarian Louis Kalivoda also served as a mentor during Eagle Scout Career Day. He became an Eagle Scout in 1963 and currently runs the criminal justice, EMS/fire service and aviation programs at Santa Fe Community College.

“As Rotarians we believe that service to community is very, very important,” he said. “These Eagle Scouts have already established a wonderful foundation of service.”