By Catholic Review Staff
The Eagle Scouts have added 10 to their ranks, five from Troop 87 at St. Francis of Assisi in Baltimore and five from Troop 727 at St. Joseph in Emmitsburg, proving that Scouting can be a rural or urban pursuit.
Emmitsburg Mayor Donald Briggs, Del. Kathy Afzali and Vincentian Father John Holliday, pastor of St. Joseph, joined Mary Neibecker, Troop 727 Scoutmaster, and Christopher Anadale, assistant Scoutmaster, in awarding the new Eagle Scouts their rank in Emmitsburg Dec. 26, 2015.
Most of them have been Scouting together for 10 years.
“Boy Scouts has been an amazing experience from start to finish, but it wouldn’t have been the same without these guys,” said new Eagle Scout Paul Slotwinski, adding that he and his peers motivated each other, “so if not for them, I probably wouldn’t have gotten my Eagle.”
All Eagle Scouts must complete a service project in order to attain the rank. Scout Stephen Lowe chose a particularly noteworthy endeavor, constructing a new flagpole, garden and memorial at St. Joseph for Army 1st Lt. Robert Seidel III, a West Point graduate and active parishioner of St. Joseph who was killed in action in Iraq in 2006. He was 23.
“Before Rob deployed, he went over all his wishes if anything were to happen,” said Seidel’s mother, Sandy Seidel. “He was adamant that he be buried in Emmitsburg at his church, not Arlington or West Point, so it means so much to see the flag flying and know that Rob will continue to be a part of St. Joseph’s for many years to come.”
“Our parish is very proud of these young men,” Father Holliday said of the Eagle Scouts. “This is a remarkable achievement for a small Boy Scout Troop such as ours and is a wonderful testimony to our men and women who are leaders of Troop 727.”
St. Francis of Assisi honored its new Eagle Scouts, who have been together since 2003, starting as Tiger Cubs, in a ceremony Jan. 8. Troop 87, one of the oldest in the nation, is also celebrating its 100th anniversary.
“We are truly proud of our new Eagles and grateful to their parents,” said Monsignor William F. Burke, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, “as well as the leadership of Scoutmaster Jim Padden, assistant Scoutmaster Chuck Wright and our longtime committee chair, Bob Mayes, who has kept this troop moving forward for many years. Troop 87 is a winner.”
The Eagle Scouts:
St. Francis of Assisi Troop 87
Cameron Price, Michael Nanan, Christian Patterson, Christian Klima and Ian Kafes achieved the rank of Eagle through Boy Scout Troop 87, sponsored by St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Mayfield. (Jennifer Fulginiti/Special to the Review)
Ian Kafes
Service project: Built a new Nativity crèche for St. Francis of Assisi, using more than 20 volunteers and 100 hours of service.
Educational Background: Graduate of Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore; currently at Essex Community College, studying to teach elementary education.
Christian Klima
Service project: Improved Tyndale Trail of Herring Run Park in Baltimore, providing a cleaner, safer, more pleasant and more accessible path. Educational Background: Graduate of Calvert Hall College High School in Towson; currently at University of Maryland College Park.
Michael Nanan
Service project: Built and stocked a structure to house books for a “little free library” to benefit members of the St. Francis of Assisi community, using 22 volunteers and more than 80 hours of service. Educational Background: Graduate of Calvert Hall College High School; currently at Towson University.
Christian Patterson
Service project: Repurposed an overgrown trail segment in Herring Run Park that had been inaccessible to visitors. Educational Background: Graduate of Baltimore City College High School; currently at Shenandoah University in Virginia.
Cameron Price
Service project: Installed blinds on doors of St. Francis of Assisi School to prevent possible intruders from seeing into the classrooms. Educational Background: Graduate of Archbishop Curley High School; currently at University of Maryland College Park.
St. Joseph Emmitsburg Troop 727
Andrew Neibecker, Brendan Isaacson, Paul Slotwinski and Stephen Lowe achieved the Eagle Scout rank with Boy
Scout Troop 727, which is sponsored by St. Joseph Parish in Emmitsburg. (Courtesy St. Joseph Parish)
Brendan Isaacson
Service project: Constructed a fenced play area around the parish hall to provide a safe area for children and their parents. Educational Background: Graduate of Catoctin High School in Thurmont; currently at Pennsylvania State University.
Stephen Lowe
Service project: Constructed a memorial to Army 1st Lt. Robert Seidel III, a West Point graduate and active parishioner of St. Joseph, who died serving his country in 2006. Educational Background: Homeschooled.
Andrew Neibecker
Service project: Rehabilitated the Willow Rill Nature Trail at Mother Seton School in Emmitsburg, to benefit teachers and students. Educational Background: Graduate of Catoctin High School; currently at Kent State University in Ohio.
Paul Slotwinski
Service project: Blazed 15 miles of the multi-use trail system located throughout the Rainbow Lake watershed for the benefit of Emmitsburg residents and visitors.
Educational Background: Currently at Catoctin High School.
Keegan Wright
Service project: Constructed a three-sided firewood shed at Catoctin Mountain Park for the benefit of campers. Educational Background: Graduate of Catoctin High School; currently at Frederick Community College.
To see a video from the awards ceremony for St. Francis of Assisi Troop 87, click here.
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