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A member of Trail Life USA Troop 1213, based at Corinth Baptist Church in Ellenboro, received the organization's most prestigious award recently. Brantley Winn, 18, of Boiling Springs was presented The Freedom Award. Brantley is the son of Jason and Julie Winn of Boiling Springs.
The Freedom Award is the pinnacle award earned in Trail Life USA. It signifies the highest level of accomplishment a young man can achieve in a troop. The scriptural reference for the award is John 8:36, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
While being a Christian is not a requirement for membership as a trailman in a troop, a declaration of faith in Jesus for salvation and the ability to share you testimony is required to be considered for the award.
Troop 1213 meets at Corinth with TroopMaster Thomas Tisdale of Ellenboro and the blessings of pastor Rev. Mike Conner and the church. There are seven youth, including Brantley, and three adult leaders from Cleveland County in the troop. There are 32 youth from Rutherford and11 adult leaders.
The Trail Life Freedom Award is the culmination of everything in the Trail Life journey, explained Brantley. This includes all the base awards- Rope Work, Our Flag, Outdoor Cooking, Trail Skills, Citizenship, Personal Resources, Emergency Preparedness, and Family Man. This also includes 10 required elective badges. All of this was accomplished in order to attain the Horizon Award, one step before receiving Freedom.
To receive the Freedom Award a trailman also receive Worthy Life Award which is serving at a church and hosting youth Bible studies. In Brantley's journey he also preached three Sundays on youth days at Beaver Dam. Trailmen are required to complete around 20-30 service hours, not including the Worthy Life, for Freedom Service Project.
Major and Minor Fields are other award steps, Brantley explained. For his Major, Christian Ministry, Brantley served two consecutive weeks at a mission camp and he earned his Minor receiving a Red Cross lifeguard certification and working as a lifeguard for two summers at South Mountain Christian Camp.
"Once all of these were set in stone, I could then move forward with my Freedom Service Project," Brantley said. For his project, he built a gaga ball pit at Beaver Dam Baptist Church, where he is a member. He was required to organize, fund raise, construct and oversee the project. He raised the funds sponsoring a car wash and some materials were donated by Ellis Lumber, and Henson Building Materials and others.
Brantley was required to go before a review board which was the examination of the trailman's character. This included a recitation of the Trail Life Motto, Oath, his personal testimony and to answer questions from the panel.
"Brantley is an impressive young man and is in every way a great example of Trail Life Freedom Range man," said Tisdale.
"His Christian walk meets the motto of Trail Life Walk Worthy. He has a great attitude and a spirit of dedication to all groups he has been associated," Tisdale said. "It has been an honor and joy to be his Troop master."
Brantley was the only trainman to receive the Freedom Award this year.
Through Trail Life, Brantley believes he has become a strong leader, following in the footsteps of his fellow trailman and First Officer Zach Connor.
"This led me to taking his role after he aged out of the troop and I stayed in that role for two years, conducting meetings, helping boys in trail badges, and even serving as camp First Officer at Summer Adventure (which is equivalent to the BSA Jamboree)," Brantley said.
His experience as a First Officer taught Brantley, the leading is about others, not about one's self.
Brantley said he also gained a greater relationship with God through Trail Life.
"I have seen the leadership of others played out due to their love for Christ and I accepted Christ fully as the Lord of my life at a Summer Adventure. This has shown me how to be a good leader by following the example of Jesus, and listening to the words of Paul, applying them both as my moral code, and Walk of Life."
Among his most memorable times was during the 2022 Summer Adventure, a three mile overnight hike that Brantley and approximately 30 others participated. He was placed as a patrol leader and he along with two others were required to lead the group in silence up the mountain, keep a fire going all night, and have everyone up by 4:30 the next day, Brantley said.
"We did all this, but also had a Bible study on Daniel and had a prayer circle that lasted hours. One kid accepted Christ and I have never felt God's presence more than that moment, when I was joined by young men who craved God in the most vulnerable place, around people they'd never met, and in God's creation. This is truly where I gave my life to Christ and it is the best memory I have."
Brantley says he will miss the camaraderie among the troop as he sets off to college, but has already discovered troops around North Greenville.
"This gives me joy and I am glad that my Trail Life is not yet over," he said.
Brantley encourages others to join the organization.
"There is nothing like getting out in the woods, getting your hands dirty, sharpening sticks, learning trail skills, building friendships, and growing closer to God with other young men," he said.
Brantley will graduate from Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy on Friday, May 30 and will attend North Greenville University in the fall. He was a member of TJCA's swim team and the Rutherford County Swim Team.
