News

Eagle Scout traveling the world this summer

Andrew Hein, an Eagle Scout from Edneyville Troop 605, will travel to Europe and Japan this summer.

By Bill Moss, Published: June 30, 2015

In the summertime some kids work at the pool, some dip ice cream and some wait tables. Still others gaze all day at their smartphone screen.

Andrew Hein is traveling thousands of miles and visiting seven countries in Europe and Asia.
Hein, who plays crash and suspended cymbals and the triangle, leaves Wednesday for a three-week tour of Europe as a part of the N.C. Music Ambassadors concert band. Led by Fran Shelton, director of the Hendersonville High School band program, the high school musicians will perform in England, Austria, Germany and Switzerland and also visit Italy and France. Hein is one of nine musicians from HHS chosen to play in the band.
“Every two days we’re playing,” he said. “Our concert is an hour and a half long, 13 pieces. We’re going to Charlotte for two days right before we leave.”
The program includes marches, Disney tunes, pop music and Beatles songs and ends with “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
“She’s retired now so it’s going to be our last time together,” Hein said of Shelton, who is putting down her baton after 28 years conducting the award-winning HHS band. “It’s going to be fun, too.”
Hein will have little time to rest when he gets home from Europe on July 10. This time, he flies west for the 23rd annual World Scout Jamboree in Kirara-hama, Japan.
He admits he’s lucky to have the opportunity. Both the band trip and the Scout Jamboree are expensive. That’s where an angel funder came in.
“My grandmother’s friend has a caretaker. He wanted me to go to Europe,” he said. “I wanted to go to Japan. He gave me $12,000 to go to both.”
An Eagle Scout in Edneyville Troop 605, Hein has 45 merit badges — 24 more than required for Eagle.
“I’ve been to Camp Daniel Boone six times and we do merit badges here,” he said as he was loading up for the Boy Scout camp in Haywood County on June 13.
His mom, Lacey Hein, says Andrew has an uncle who was an Eagle Scout. He has camped since he was a youngster.
“They came around to the school when he was in first grade and he was so excited,” she said. “He’s a hard worker and he’s had fun.”
Lacey, who is 34, keeps the books on the boys’ rank advancement in Troop 605. She recently received her undergraduate degree after taking courses on line through UNC at Pembroke.
“She’s a blessing to the troop,” said Don Henderson, the longtime scoutmaster of Troop 605 who gave up the reins to Brackley Kicklighter three years ago. Hein became the troop’s 227th Eagle when he passed a board of review a few weeks ago.
Hein attended the National Scout Jamboree two years ago and wanted to go the world event. He’s one of 30 Scouts in a troop made up of boys from the Carolinas, Virginia and Florida.
Lacey plans to fly to London to watch the band’s performance there before returning home. When he starts his junior year at HHS, Andrew may have the most exotic tales of his time off.
“He’s going to have the summer of a lifetime,” says his mom.