Eagle Scout hopefuls building lasting legacy

Many projects under way to benefit Montgomery Township

By: Jake Uitti
   MONTGOMERY — To become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Scouting, a Boy Scout must complete several requirements — the most important of which, according to Eagle adviser Frank McVeigh, is demonstrating leadership and volunteer service to the community.
   This year, Montgomery Troop 46 has 10 Scouts going for the rank of Eagle, and each Scout has an original project that has gone through many rigorous steps of approval. The projects range from the renovation of sand volleyball courts in township parks to collecting more than 600 compact discs for senior citizens and children.
   Before a project can go to the many committees for approval, it must go through a rigorous editing process — and this is where Mr. McVeigh enters the picture.
   As Kevin Bueschen, a Montgomery High School junior and Eagle Scout candidate, explained, "A Scout has to write a paper detailing every little thing that has to be done — like funding, what the project’s benefit to the community is, how it shows leadership and the details of construction. We write the paper, then Mr. McVeigh edits it. It is a back-and-forth process — he has a very high standard."
   On Nov. 9, Kevin presented his written proposal to the Montgomery Township Committee. His plan, as he explained it, is to refurbish the volleyball courts at Montgomery Park by digging a shallow but large square and filling the area with sand, which is much easier on a player than hard ground. He said he will also provide sports equipment for the park.
   Kevin explained that he had received donated material from Lowe’s home improvement store, Opdyke Lumber, Belle Mead Co-op and Hillsborough Landscape and Supply, and had spoken with Karen Zimmerman, the township recreation director, who had suggested expanding the project to include bocce courts and horseshoe pits in Mill Pond Park.
   Kevin said he began his Scouting career with the Tiger Scouts when he was in kindergarten.
   "My older brother was a Scout," he said. "I always looked up to the older Scouts. I wanted to be a part of something good. It was always a big deal when someone was going for Eagle. It is a great honor."
   To be able even to start this process, Kevin said, a Scout has to earn 21 merit badges in such areas as personal fitness, management, leadership and first aid. To continue moving forward with a project, an Eagle Scout candidate must get approval from the Scout’s Troop Committee, his Scoutmaster, the project’s sponsoring organization and the Scout’s District Advancement Committee.
   Montgomery Mayor Louise Wilson said she is grateful for all the effort the Scouts have put into Montgomery’s open space.
   "In every part of town, there are Eagle Scout projects," she said. "We are lucky to have such a phenomenal program in our own backyard."
   Upon the completion of a project, a Scout has to do a write-up explaining to the Eagle Scout Board of Review what was done, what went wrong and how the problems were fixed, Mr. McVeigh said. This is the final step before the local council and national organization approve a Scout’s advancement.
   Another Scout, Ryan Blakemore, a Montgomery High School senior, already has completed his project.
   Ryan built a picnic area with tables and benches by the playground in Mill Pond Park. Around the picnic area, Ryan also planted four trees, arranged new trash cans and put mulch down around the tables in a bordered square he built. Textan Services Inc. donated all the lumber.
   Ryan appreciated the reward of community service. "I really enjoy the sense of accomplishment," he said. "I had a lot of direct contact with the people in the town, and they all gave me positive feedback for my project."
   Troop 46, sponsored by Blawenburg Reformed Church, is "one of the largest and most successful in New Jersey," Mr. McVeigh said, and has produced more than 100 Eagle Scouts in the troop’s 70-year history.
   A third project, which is just beginning, is Greg Elgort’s.
   Greg, a Montgomery High School sophomore, is building equipment that will allow soccer players to practice shooting without the need for goals or nets.
   "Leadership is a big part of these projects, along with giving back to the community," Greg said. "We learn a lot. It takes a lot of effort to complete."
   Greg’s project still has to be approved by a member of the Township Committee, but funding has already been set aside for him by the Montgomery Travel Soccer and Recreation League.
   All of these projects, Mayor Wilson said, are a benefit to the community.
   "What I like about them is that they give the people in town something to do, a reason to get outside," she said. "Kevin’s project will give the teenagers in town something more to do, as well. This is very important. We are doing as much as we can with advice and support for the Scouts, and the local businesses are doing their part, too."
   A Scout should try and find what it is he is interested in, according to Mr. McVeigh. "It should be significant and lasting," he said.