By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Edwardsburg Argus
CASSOPOLIS -- A former Eagle Scout had a dream which became a reality with the graduation of the first Explorer Unit recently at the Penn Friends Church in Cassopolis. The Explorer Troop which trained with the Cass Area Ambulance Service, was made up of teens from Cassopolis and Edwardsburg.
Doug Michels, along with Robert Eisenhart, came up with the idea of forming an Explorer Unit while at the Cass County Fair. The students were trained to perform CPR and basic first aid, to help out at the fair under the supervision of the Emergency Management team.
Michels extensive background in scouting had been beneficial in setting up the troop.
In Dowagiac, Michels began as a Cub Scout when he was eight years old. He earned the highest rank of Arrow of Light before moving on up the ranks, becoming an Eagle Scout and a senior Boy Scout. He is still active in Scouts, and helps the younger scouts as a merit badge counselor.
Unlike the Boy Scouts, the Explorer's uniform are polo shirts with Cass Ambulance embroidered on one side and Explorer Unit 112 on the other, with the standard EMT black pants.