Amber Hagerman

 Dear Scouters,

 Another loss to scouting was felt this week in the Dallas / Ft. Worth area. Many of you may have heard about the little 9 year old third grade girl that was kidnapped and murdered this week in Arlington, Texas.

 The Dallas Morning News (DMN) reported that she was a Girl Scout. The out pouring of the community was tremendous. DMN reported this morning" Amber Hagerman was singing America the Beautiful as she pedaled her pink bicycle out of her grandparents' driveway last weekend.

 On Saturday, about 2,000 friends, relatives, classmates and strangers stood before the 9-year's dusty blue casket and belted out her favorite song through their tears.

The Rev. Ann Stevens, First United Methodist Church of Arlington, said Saturday's "celebration of life" for the slain Girl Scout allowed loved ones to finally "come lay the nightmare before God."

But the 45-minute funeral service still served as a harsh reminder of what the past week has been for Amber's family. For five days they held vigil before a nation, pleading that the stranger who dragged her from her bike and forced her into a black pickup truck would allow her to come home.

Early Thursday, they learned the worst - that their "little angel" had been found dead in a northeast Arlington creek. This was a sad day.

Hundreds have made the pilgrimage to the parking lot where Amber was last seen alive, riding her bike. They have brought variety of gifts -- teddy bears, flowers, letters, poems, etc..

It is a sad time for the community.

Our prayers are with the family.

YIS

Rick Covington, UC,ASM,AWL
T713 / P874
Circle Ten Council,
Dallas, Texas
rcovingt@ccmail.dsccc.com