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June 20, 2008

Boy, 7, helps save fellow Scout

By Violet Spader, Staff Writer

WATONGA — As Jake Davis recited his Cub Scout Promise Friday afternoon, his mother, Julie, looked on with pride.

“I, Jake Davis, promise to do my best, to do my duty to God and my country, to help other people and to obey the Law of the Pack.”

Jake is a straight-A student, his mom said, and good to his younger sisters. He’ll be in third grade next year at Wau-komis Elementary School, celebrating his 8th birthday a couple of weeks before class starts.

He’s also a hero, according to Linda Briggs, a Cub Scout volunteer.

On Thursday, Jake was swimming in the pool at Roman Nose State Park with his fellow Scouts as part of the Kingfisher/Watonga Cub Scout Day Camp. Briggs, along with another volunteer, watched as he swam toward the deep end.

They weren’t worried about Jake, Briggs said. But when another Cub, whose parents asked remain anonymous, began to struggle in the deeper water, Jake was in the right place at the right time.

“The other boy grabbed onto Jake and Jake held him,” Briggs said.

The volunteers alerted the lifeguard, Bobby Wilkinson, who grabbed both boys and helped them get to the side of the pool.

“We’ve cried many a time over it,” Briggs said. “It was huge. He’s not even 8 years old yet.”

Jake, who is completing his Wolf badge, said he wasn’t scared at the time. He just knew what he had to do.

It doesn’t surprise his mother.

“When Linda walked up to me and told me, ‘There’s something you need to know,’ I wasn’t surprised he’d done the right thing,” she said. “He’s a nurse’s son.”

Since the deaths of four Boy Scouts in a June 11 tornado at a Scout camp in western Iowa, safety is foremost in the minds of Scout leaders, according to camp director Bobbie Pritchett.

“We’ve got emergency plans and procedures set in place,” Pritchett said. “This year, God has blessed us.”

She said Scouts in northwest Oklahoma have discussed doing something to help the Iowa Boy Scouts.

The 66 Cub Scouts from Seiling, Waukomis, Waton-ga, Kingfisher, Cleo Springs, Aline, Carmen, Fairview and Okeene spent Wednesday through Friday horseback riding, paddle-boating, playing miniature golfing, hiking, fishing and swimming at Roman Nose.

Jake’s favorite activity was archery, he said.

“I’m looking forward to camp next year,” he said.

Michael Adam, district director of Cimarron Coun-cil Boy Scouts of America, said a board will review Jake’s actions for a heroism award.

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