The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Scouts compete in community service
Four Eagle Scouts, including DeRuyter and Clinton natives, are competing for Project of the Year for BSA.
The Boy Scouts of America Leatherstocking Council’s Eagle Scout Community Service Project of the Year Committee has named four finalists
The winner will be announced during the BSA Leadership Dinner at the Utica Radisson Hotel on Oct. 18. Last year, 77 Scouts achieved the Eagle Scout rank in the eight-county council and cumulatively donated 1,540 community service hours.
The finalists and their projects are:
Nathaniel Degear of DeRuyter, who led an effort to post reflective 911 placards across the greater DeRuyter area. He raised more than $10,000 to help make his community safer and organized, an Eagle Scout project that will impact this community for years to come.
Gannon Frisbee of Downsville, who originally proposed to repair and upgrade his local VFW’s lighting fixtures and wall décor. After realizing the structural integrity of the entire building was at risk, Frisbee decided to expand the scope of his project. He repaired load bearing walls and poured a new, solid concrete floor. The VFW resumed normal operations and attributes their ability to do so to Gannon’s craftmanship.
Devyn Guy of Middleburgh, who worked collaboratively with the New York State historical markers programin Schoharie Valley. He pulled nine forged metal signs out of the ground, wire-brushed them down to bare metal, repainted them blue and gold by hand and put them back in service. Paul White of Clinton, who worked to establish the Clinton Poetry Path. Twelve poetry stands were placed throughout the community with poems contributed and selected by all those involved in the project. This required the collaboration of several different stakeholders and taught White howto successfully interact with a variety of passionate individuals and organizations while moving his project forward.
In addition to the announcement of the Eagle Scout Community Service Project of the Year, the 2017 BSA Leadership Dinner will include the presentation of two Community Leadership Awards. The business honoree is Albert Pylinski Jr. of New York Central Mutual and the public service honoree is Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri.
The dinner will be at the Radisson Hotel and begin with hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. followed by dinner and program at 6:45 p.m. Individual tickets are $125; tables of eight available for $1,500 and include a halfpage recognition in the event program.