On Sunday, April 30, 2017, Wellesley Boy Scout Troop 185 convened an Eagle Court of Honor at the Italo-American Educational Club on Oak Street to award Scouting’s highest rank, the Eagle rank, to six members of the troop. Eric Martin Carlson, Nathaniel Gray Gordon, Ryan Barrett Hennessee, Alexander Christian Luzaitis, Alexander Edmund Prideaux, and Matthew Hewett Scherrer were all awarded the rank of Eagle.
In addition to Troop members and their families, grandparents, relatives and siblings from around New England joined the recipients and their parents for the ceremony. The Court was pleased to welcome some special guests: Father Jim McLoughlin – Pastor of the St. John and St. Paul Collaborative – the sponsor of the Troop, who gave the invocation, Sister Barbara Higgins, who gave the benediction, and Mrs. Lori Ferrante, both from Mount St. Vincent, Sisters of Charity - Halifax. Mrs. Ferrante and Sister Barbara were the recipients and coordinators of five out of the six Eagle projects of these Scouts; Mrs. Ferrante’s son had been a past member of the troop. Both women thanked the Scouts and noted that as a non-profit institution, they would not otherwise have the budget to provide the amenities made available by the Scouts. Kaitlin McCarthy, who is the District Executive for the Boy Scouts of America, was also in attendance.
Scoutmaster John Fortini awarded each of the Scouts their Eagle Badges, which their parents pinned on them. They also received an American flag that has been flown over the US Capitol in honor of their achievement. The boys noted the support of their parents throughout their Scouting career and thanked Scoutmaster Fortini for his leadership. Mr. Fortini said that these new Eagle Scouts join the many Scouts from Troop 185 who have gone on to great achievements after earning the award. They are now college students, doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers and even parents.
Nationally, the number of Scouts who reach Eagle is about 5 percent. In the 21 cities and towns in the Knox Trail Council, to which Troop 185 belongs, the number has been 6.5 percent in recent years. Since Troop 185 was founded in 1978, it has produced 142 Eagle Scouts out of the several hundred boys that have joined the Troop - a number closer to 20 percent. Scoutmaster Fortini felt that these statistics demonstrated the strength and quality of the program in the Troop and the dedication of the youth and adult leadership over the years.
The Troop meets on Monday evenings from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at St. John’s School in Wellesley. Boys currently in fifth grade to age 18 are welcomed to join. Boys and girls ages 14 (or in 8th grade) through 21 are welcome to join the Troop’s associated co-ed Venture Crew 42, which meets monthly on Saturday evenings. To join, contact Scoutmaster Fortini at john.fortini@Scouting.org.
