FARMINGTON – Kennebec Valley District finished 2018 with 36 Scouts attaining the highest rank – the Eagle Scout. The Scouting district covers five counties (Kennebec, Lincoln, Knox, Franklin and Somerset) sweeping from the Canadian border to the rocky coast. In 2018, there were 141 Eagles from the State of Maine and 52,160 young men across the nation earned Scouting’s lofty award. If all of those Class of 2018 Eagle Scouts wanted to gather to watch the Red Sox at Fenway Park, they would fill up all of the 37,731 seats and spill out onto Yawkey Way.
Locally, churches and charities from Jackman to Camden and from Wilton to Albion saw Scouts providing more than 6000 hours of service just through projects led by teenagers hoping to earn their Eagle Scout rank.
“This is absolutely amazing,” said Kennebec Valley District Chairman Bruce Rueger of Wateville. “When you think of all the good that our Scouts are doing in the community from building handicap ramps to restoring forgotten veterans grave markers to making life easier for seniors and the needy and building trails and so much more- I am truly impressed. It really is heartening in this day and age to see a program where young people are taught that they have a responsibility to help other people at all times. I am so proud of our Scouts.”
The fact that a boy is an Eagle Scout has always carried with it a special significance. The award is a performance-based achievement whose standards have been well-maintained over the years. Not every boy who joins Scouts,BSA earns the Eagle Scout rank. This represents more than 2.25 million Boy Scouts who have earned the rank since 1912.
While a Life Scout, a Scout plans, develops, and gives leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, school, or the community. In addition to providing service and fulfilling the part of the Scout Oath, “to help other people at all times,” one of the primary purposes of the Eagle Scout service project is to demonstrate or hone, or to learn and develop, leadership skills. Related to this are important lessons in project management and taking responsibility for a significant accomplishment.
Benjamin Butterfield of Phillips- Strong Troop 500- 130 hours of service cleaning and restoring 66 historic gravestones including those belonging to veterans and logged them into findagrave.com
John Knapp of Farmington- Troop 546 in Farmington- 142 hours improving Titcomb Mountain trail signs
Hunter Hutchins of Dixfield- Troop 518 in Wilton- 176 hours of service building a set of steps and deck and painting three car garage at Kineowatha Park in Wilton
Brian Hayes of Farmington- Troop 594 Farmington- 118 hours of service
Congratulations.
What and wonderful bunch of scouts we have here in Maine. I appreciate all you do for us. Thank you.
Super work by these scouts and their leaders. Really impressive, valuable contributions to our area of Maine. I have great admiration for these young men.