Troop 53 congratulates Eagle Scout Jack Piersol

Darien’s Jack Piersol joined Troop 53 in August 2013 just after his 11th birthday. He went on his first overnight campout to Pattaconk Reservoir two weeks later and fell in love with Scouting that weekend.

Jack has been a steady and active member of Troop 53 for the last seven years serving in leadership roles as Den Chief, Patrol Leader, Quartermaster and Junior Leader, an announcement said. Jack regularly participated in

Salvation Army bell-ringing, Person-to-Person food drives and Feed My Starving Children volunteering opportunities.

He participated in four season camping, hiking and high adventure trips in addition to all the summer camps at Sequassen. Highlights included bike trips on Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, 35 mile overnight island camping canoe trips down the Connecticut River, sea kayaking in the coastal waters of Maine’s Casco Bay for three days and camping eight miles offshore on Jewell Island followed by an intensive four-day backpacking hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. At age 14, Jack was the youngest member of the troop’s Philmont Ranch expedition crew where he and eight other boys along with three adult leaders tackled the challenges of a 100+ mile, 12-day backpacking trek in the mountains of New Mexico as well as white water rafting in Colorado.

Outside of Scouting, Jack is a strong scholar and avid classic car and military history enthusiast, the announcement said. He has enjoyed participating on many Darien High School sports teams including cross country, indoor and outdoor track, and ski team as well as rowing with the Maritime Rowing Club in Norwalk.

For his Eagle Scout Service Project, Jack refurbished and enhanced a lengthy section of trail in the Darien Land Trust’s Olson Woods to permit safe and easy access for seniors and children.

He was in his element directing and managing the 27 volunteers accomplish their various assigned tasks. Jack is a senior at Darien High School where he enjoys studying many advanced placement subjects including history, English and physics and playing trumpet in the honors wind ensemble.

Darien Scouting is currently welcoming new Scouts to join its programs for boys and girls grades K-12. Email darienscouts@gmail.org for more information or stop by a Darien Scouting Open House on Sept. 19 from 9 a.m.-noon or Oct. 3 from 2-5 p.m.