In a recent display of local community support, St. Louis City Comptroller Donna M.C. Baringer was spotted at a youth achievement event, marking the accomplishments of one Gus Long-Gabel who rose to the esteemed rank of Eagle Scout; the ceremony was indeed a touching moment for the more than 60 attendees that included the likes of former St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay.
Bearing witness to the culmination of Long-Gabel's dedication and hard work, Comptroller Baringer joined family, friends, and city officials in an event that, according to a statement obtained by the St. Louis official government website, had not "a dry eye was in the house after each person spoke of how Gus has been their inspiration" and where Baringer herself remarked, "it was an honor to be at his ceremony."
The presence of high-profile community leaders like Baringer and Slay at Eagle Scout ceremonies is not just a nod to the achievements of the scouts themselves, but a reinforcement of the vital communal bonds that encourage and support youth programs, striving to foster the leaders of tomorrow who will, in their time, shape our cities and spirits.
