FLY LIKE AN EAGLE
Boys from local Scout troop achieve Eagle status
AVERILL PARK, N.Y.» Nine young men from local Boy Scout Troop 526 became Eagles during a ceremony on Sunday, achieving the highest rank that can be attained by scouts.
They are Samuel Bendett, Samuel Ghent, Henry Ghent, Thomas Hacker, John Giannone, Jared Glasser, Nicholas Spink, Aidan Westfall and Sean Willie.
This was an exceptionally large group of honorees for the Averill Park troop, which has been around since the 1920s.
Throughout the entire Boy Scouts of America organization, less than six percent of youth who join scouting earn this honor.
About nine Eagle Scouts have come from Troop 526 in the past decade, the same number that was awarded all at once on Sunday.
Because of the high volume, this year’s ceremony was held at Old Daley on Crooked Lake, a bigger
venue than normal.
Family members filed in to see their sons and grandsons bestowed with the Eagle Scout ranking. Representatives and dignitaries from the greater community also attended to congratulate the boys.
“The Eagle Scout rank isn’t just handed out. A lot of work goes into obtaining that rank and the lessons they learn, the values that they learn becoming an Eagle Scout will carry through their whole life with them,” said Rensselaer County Sheriff Patrick Russo, at the event. “Some of our greatest leaders, whether it’s in civilian life or the military, were Eagle Scouts.”
Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen Jimino said it’s amazing that the local troop has nine young men becoming Eagles at the same time, because of the amount of work it takes. “The young men have worked very hard to reach this stage and while they’re to be applauded, we also know that these will be the people that we will be looking to as leaders in our communities in the future. So our expectations are now set very high for them.”
The boys’ Eagle Scout projects, which helped them attain their new titles, included building a clothing drop box at an area addiction care center, improving the grounds at Nassau Senior Housing, building a handicap accessible ramp at Dyken Pond, building and installing bluebird and wood duck houses along Dyken Pond, enhancing the trails at Grafton Lakes State Park, cleaning a neglected cemetery in Taborton, beautification at Miller Hill Elementary School, painting and building a set of stairs at the Carter property in Nassau and building river access stairs at First Presbyterian Church of Greenbush.
“This is a great achievement and worthy of celebration,” committee chairman Scott Bendett said at the beginning of the ceremony. Bendett went on referring to scouting as a steep trail leading to the peak of Eagle Scout rank, noting the they will benefit from the many experiences along the way.
Troop 526 Scout Master Chuck Hacker called the scouts young men of character. He recalled their combined 500 nights of camping, and their success at the Klondike derby sledding competition. He also commended the scouts for their high academic honors and other extracurricular endeavors.
“Truly they are wellrounded individuals,” Hacker said, welcoming them into the elite group of Eagle Scouts.