ELEVEN BROTHERS: Brothers soar like eagles

Elaine Hall doesn't hang around with turkeys. The North Las Vegas native grew up flying with a flock of Eagles. On March 30, the last of her 11 brothers earned a special honor -- which all 10 of their other brothers had already received -- the highest rank bestowed on a Boy Scout, the Eagle Scout Award.

As the only daughter in the Thomas family, Elaine didn't mind the spotlight resting on her brothers.

"I am proud of my brothers," she said. "We talked about it for years, what it would be like for all the boys to be Eagles. The pressure was on for the younger ones, that's for sure. But they did it. My younger brothers are awesome."

Larry and Sherry Thomas think all their children are awesome. DeCall, 37, was the first of the boys to get his Eagle. Twins Darrin and Deven, 36, and their younger brother Robert, 33, all received their awards in a triple court of honor. Ralph, 30, Gordon, 28, Gilbert, 26, Charles, 25, and Edward, 22, were soon to follow. Harvey, 14, set a goal to get his Eagle as swiftly as possible, earning the award at age 13 and coming in just before his now 18-year-old brother Rex.

The whole family came out for Rex's court of honor held March 30 on his 18th birthday. Rex cut it down to the wire, since the award must be earned before a scout reaches 18.

"I wasn't really that worried. I had it pretty much done, I just had a few small things to do. It's the paper work that kills you," Rex said.

Earning an Eagle is more than paper work. It takes years of merit badges, camp outs, hikes and service projects to be called an Eagle. But any of the Thomas boys would attest that all the hard work pays off.

"It seems like the hardest things in life are the ones that make you the strongest," Rex said.

Scouting was a way of life for all the Thompson boys.

"It was kind of the family way. My oldest brother DeCall set the example for the rest of us," Harvey said.

DeCall earned his Eagle at the last moment on his 18th birthday too. Since he was the first of the boys, every requirement was new to him. Earning the award was tough, but with a brood of little brother's looking up to him, DeCall pressed on.

"I knew I had to be an example. I had to be an Eagle Scout because of them," he said.

Ralph said there never was any pressure from his parents to get the Eagle, just encouragement.

"There was more pressure from my brothers than my parents. It wasn't negative though. We were all Scouters and we all enjoy Scouting. If my brothers felt that I was getting behind or needed some help, they got on me to make sure I got what I needed."

For most of the Thomas boys, earning an Eagle was an honor and a challenge, not a parental edict.

"There is a bit of competition with that many boys," Robert said. "Some of the motivation came since you didn't want to be the only brother not to get it."

Larry and Sherry may not have pressured their kids, but they were always there to help.

"I'm just glad my parents were supportive. Sometimes we needed some help. We always needed rides places," Robert said. "People seem to be minimizing the roll of the family lately. There are no black sheep in the family. My parents have done a real good job of raising us."

"I think my mom deserves to be recognized just as much as us," DeCall said. "I wouldn't say it was her that earned the Eagle 11 times, but Mom was the Scout machine for us."

With Eagles in hand, many of the boys are helping a second generation of young men in Scouting. Several of the brothers either are or have been Scout leaders. As Ralph tells it, watching boys he's helped get their award is far more thrilling than getting his own.

"You see them work so hard for so many years to get it. And then they become the young man you hope they'll be. That's real rewarding. I believe it's giving something back," Ralph said. "Besides it's a little embarrassing getting your own. It's like a wedding with no bride. Everyone is focused on you."

Sherry is proud of all of her children's accomplishments, but right now the 11th Eagle seems to be a crowing moment.

"Through camping, music and sports, we've tried to help them be well rounded," Sherry said. "That's basically what Scouting helps them with. With every merit badge, they're learning new things."

No one is certain if the Thomas boys broke the record with 11 Eagles in one family, but Mike Miller, special projects director for Scouting in Southern Nevada, is certain they have.

"Only about 2 percent of all boys who join scouting become Eagle Scouts. Eleven from one family is unheard of. A family from Washington claimed nine Eagles. This is probably the record," Miller said.