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06/23/2015 04:30 PMThis past year saw five members of Guilford’s Troop 474 earn their Eagle Scout rank, an accomplishment that is celebrated with a Court of Honor ceremony after the completion of an in-depth community service project and years of work.
“Court of Honor is the celebration of having accomplished the Eagle Scout rank and a celebration of what the scouts do for the community,” said Paul Ehrlich, the committee chairman for Troop 474. “The Eagle Scout puts it together with his parents. It’s their own cherry on top of the ice cream thing.”
The 2015 Eagle Scouts include Justin Clark, Daniel McCloskey, Luke Malinowski, Charles Slate, and CJ Vanacore. The scouts have held their ceremonies throughout the month of June—and planned the event from the emcee to the guest lists, which have included representatives from Boy Scouts of America, State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr., and First Selectman Joe Mazza.
Each Eagle Scout chooses a project to complete by his 18th birthday. The scouts must plan the project, meet with the benefactor, present their project to the troop leaders, raise funds, and organize materials and labor. If permits or approvals by the town are required, the scout also goes through that process.
“This is their first experience with project management,” said Ehrlich. “They’re not allowed to work on project—they plan it. They go through the government’s process as well and make sure the benefactor is getting what they ask for.”
Over the years, Troop 474 has made a big impact on Guilford and surrounding communities with its Eagle Scout projects. In 2015, Clark, McCloskey, and Malinowski completed projects in Guilford, while Slate’s was in Branford and Vanacore’s was in Madison.
“The projects these guys have done have all been projects the town has needed done, but our guys seek out the project,” said Weidman. “It’s a circle because the town recognizes us as the go-to people get these things done and it builds on itself.”
Clark prepared and painted the Guilford Football Barn on Long Hill Road, McCloskey built and installed birdhouses for small nesting birds at the Henry Whifield House to protect species that are stressed by more robust, invasive birds. Malinowski’s project was the Jacobs Beach flagpole.
Beyond Guilford, Slate renovated an outdoor classroom on the Shoreline Greenway Trail in Branford and Vanacore built a prayer garden at The Mercy Center in Madison.
“The Eagle Scout rank is just such a coveted achievement that really shows the stick to it-ness of a man,” said Matt Weidman, who has been Scoutmaster since 2011. “It’s not something that gets done in a year. This is something they’ve worked on for 8 to 10 years. It’s quite a cool achievement and a rare type of thing. We’re honored to be able to have these guys make this achievement, as we have been for the past years.”
While these projects have improved Guilford and surrounding towns, Troop 474 has been making an impact since 1957 was David Chapin was the first of the troop to earn Eagle Scout rank. Nearly 90 have earned the rank since then.
In 2014, six members of Troop 474 earned their Eagle Scout Rank. Justin Schimmel constructed a fire pit for St. George’s parish and youth ministries, Michale Chapman built an additional bocce court at Chittenden Park, Peter Ott constructed a bridge on a trail in the Timberlands, Brendan Regan renovated the Bluff’s Head Cemetery in North Guilford, Jesse Warner built a section of the Blue Trail behind the Henry Whitfield Museum, and Max Ehrlich planned, financed, and build a GAGA Ball court at the Madison Surf Club (For a full list of Eagle Scouts and their projects from 1957 to the present, visit troop474.org/eagle-scouts).
Ehrlich noted that while there is no requirement for the number of hours to be put into a project, most projects average anywhere from 80 to 120 hours from start to completion.
“It’s an everlasting reference to achievement to go through scouting—the rank advancements, the work, the fun, the camping, the camaraderie that’s been built—and once you achieve the rank of an Eagle Scout, you are always an Eagle Scout,” said Ehrlich, whose two oldest sons earned their Eagle Scout rank with his youngest recently crossing into Boy Scouts. “There’s always a brotherhood there. Watching the process in my own kids is pretty rewarding.”
In addition to crediting the scouts for their hard work and dedication, both Weidman and Ehrlich pointed out the large number of volunteers needed to complete the projects as well as the support needed from the scouts’ families.
“Our community has all the ingredients to enable all the boys in all the troops to be successful if they choose to be, if they want to do it,” said Ehrlich. “These projects show them that any large goal is attainable by making it into palatable pieces and how they’ll get from A to Z, but with a lot of stops in between.”