Mason Donajkowski, 15, spent a week in July on Mackinac Island as part of the Governor’s Honor Guard, from July 22 to 29.

“We raised and lowered the flags every morning and evening at exactly the same time, and then for the rest of the day, we would do three-hour shifts of us serving as tour guides,” Donajkowski said. “We each had a post that we were assigned to for the week, and we would just tell people about the place” and answer their questions.

The Scouts in the Governor’s Honor Guard stayed in the Scout Barracks located on the island behind Fort Mackinac.

This was Donajkowski’s first time being in the Governor’s Honor Guard. He applied and was accepted, along with 41 other Scouts from all over Michigan.

Courtesy Photo The Boy Scouts line up around the flagpole during one of the flag-raising ceremonies.

“I just liked that it gave me a new experience helping people out,” Donajkowski said, adding that it’s nice to have on his Scout resume. “You have to have Scouting experience, leadership experience, stuff like that, and then they just picked from the applications.”

To be in the Governor’s Honor Guard, you have to be First Class or higher in Scout ranking. Donajkowski is currently ranked First Class.

“You have to do the requirements, you have to prove that you did it, and then you get a Scout that is two ranks higher than you or one of the adult leaders to sign off on it,” he explained of the ranking system.

He feels grateful for being chosen for the Governor’s Honor Guard.

“It’s a great honor to be able to do that, and I hope that they’ll take me back again for this coming year,” Donajkowski said.

A member of Troop 92 at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Alpena, Donajkowski has been a Scout since he was 7 years old when he joined Cub Scouts.

He really enjoys all the experiences and opportunities that Boy Scouts offers.

“I like that we get to go out and we get to do fun things,” Donajkowski said. “We’ll go on overnight campouts where we’ll hike, like, four miles into the woods, we’ll camp out there, then we’ll hike back out. It’s just a fun experience.”

In addition to outdoor skills, there are many leadership skills learned in Scouting, he said.

“We do a lot of leadership skills,” Donajkowski said. “In order to get Star, Life, and Eagle (ranks), you have to have a leadership position in the Troop.”

He looks forward to continuing moving up the Scout ranks, and learning more skills in the process.

Cub Scouts meet from 6 to 7 p.m., and Boy Scouts meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. each Tuesday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 727 S. 2nd Ave., Alpena.