Twenty-four members of Boy Scout Troop 223 were awarded the rank of Eagle Scout at a Court of Honor dinner and ceremony at St. Matthew’s November 26.
Eagle Scout is the highest advancement rank attainable in scouting with requirements in the areas of leadership, service and outdoor skills.
Scoutmaster Mike Lanning of the Highlands spoke on the importance of the boys having a strong vision, enrolling others to help them with their plans, making good choices and continuing to help others the rest of their lives. The ceremony continued as each new Eagle Scout was introduced with a presentation written and delivered by an older Eagle Scout from a previous year.
The scouting program at Troop 223 focuses heavily on leadership; the scouts lead and work with younger scouts throughout their years in the program, culminating when they supervise a minimum of 100-man-hours of work on each of their respective community service Eagle Projects.
The young men started working towards their Eagle Scout rank in fifth grade and many of the boys began with Cub Scouts as early as first grade. Each scout must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, attend weekly meetings and monthly campouts, serve at least 6 months in a leadership position within the troop, and participate in summer campouts and high adventure trips.
All of the scouts planned and executed 100 plus hour service projects involving other scouts and benefitting a local community organization.
A rigorous program, the Eagle Scout rank demands proficiency in a number of skills including camping, aquatics, hiking and “leave no trace” high adventure wilderness trips. Last summer, all of the Eagle Scout candidates either backpacked more than 70 miles in the New Mexico Wilderness at Philmont Scout Ranch or canoed more than 50 miles in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota.
The VA in Brentwood benefited from four different projects: Alexander Carlson beautified the Serenity Park Parrot Sanctuary for veteran therapy, Otis Jones prepped and painted buildings at the VA’s Hero’s Golf Course, Ryan Yocum cleaned, patched and painted stairwells at the Salvation Army Haven House for homeless veterans.
Community nonprofits also benefited from the scouts’ projects. Nicholas Steele built an enclosure to provide additional space for rescued birds of prey at the California Wildlife Center in Malibu. Scott Curran built and installed a deck, augmented an irrigation system and expanded a barbeque patio at the Harvest Home in Venice. Riley McAndrews designed and built a public restroom in accordance with ADA requirements at Sage Ranch for the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.
Several Palisades schools also benefited from the work done by the scouts. Thomas Dameris built railings for storage above classroom cabinets to keep within Fire Marshall’s guidelines for safety for Marquez Elementary School. Christopher Hanna repaired and beautified the lower yard garden at Marquez Elementary.
Kevin Headrick installed an irrigation system and identified and removed invasive plants and restored garden pathways in the Native Plant Garden at Paul Revere Middle School. Brendan Pellegrini repainted the tunnels that lead to the football field at Palisades Charter High School. Tomas Maggi painted emergency storage boxes and landscaped an area at Lincoln Middle School. St. Anne’s School in Santa Monica received a sustainable “green” planter with trellises as part of a beautification project done by Joseph Elder.
John Doland built fencing and refinished a two-story child play center for Pacific Palisades Early Childhood Center and Brett Newman designed and installed new landscaping material for St. John’s Child and Family Development Center in Santa Monica.
Local churches also benefited. At St. Matthews Parish Church a variety of projects were conducted; Patrick Albarino disassembled, refurbished and replaced wooden tables and benches, Ryan Alford built and installed cedar safety fencing, Alexander Brown removed an old fence and constructed, stained and painted a new fence, Erik Knighton built a scenic overlook seating area, Pablo Mendez landscaped and restored an irrigation system and William Ruppenthal designed and built compost bins.
Calvary Church of Pacific Palisades benefited from Bailey Bland’s removal of a dead ice plant and planting of a new ice plant.
Three scouts completed projects that benefited Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church. Clayton Hill built new benches and a table for Sunday service meet and greet, Alexander Walker repainted the walls and installed a hardwood floor and floorboards in the youth room, Joseph Walker rebuilt and renovated the prayer garden adjacent to the church.
Troop 223 currently has 137 scouts in its membership and 90 Assistant Scoutmasters. Scout Master Mike Lanning has now advanced more than 700 Eagle Scouts – more than any other Scoutmaster in the country. He has led the troop for 60 years.
Visit troop-223.org.
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