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Troop 215 Scouts earn Eagle rank

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Elk Scouting representative Russ Spicuzza (far right) poses with the Troop 215 Scouts who recently earned Eagle rank. They included Paul Baronak, Bryce Clancy, Gavin Clancy, Edward Counihan and Nathan Stutzman.
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Elk Scouting representative Russ Spicuzza (far right) poses with the Troop 215 Scouts who recently earned Eagle rank. They included Paul Baronak, Bryce Clancy, Gavin Clancy, Edward Counihan and Nathan Stutzman.

Paul Baronak, Bryce Clancy, Gavin Clancy, Edward Counihan and Nathan Stutzman of Scout Troop 215 from Bethel Park were recognized for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout in a Court of Honor ceremony held recently at Hamilton Presbyterian Church.

The final hurdle in the quest for the highest rank for Boy Scouting is a community service challenge. The candidate must be in charge of all aspects of the project. The tasks include planning, financing, implementation, completion and final presentation of the completed project to a committee of Scout leaders.

Baronak’s project benefited the South Park Theatre, where he had acted in several summer musicals. The Theatre had a need for furniture for the stage, support for the cast backstage and barriers to enhance parking safety. Woodworking was a big focus for the project.

Dr. Bill Baronak and Joe Bell served as coaches for the project. Funding was provided through a GoFundMe page, a donation from Home Depot and discounts from Brookside Lumber.

Bryce Clancy’s project benefited The Bible Chapel in Rostraver. It involved the construction of a fire pit and an enclosed gravel area for a community gathering space.

Clancy was also able to create a walking path to the firepit area as well as an added gravel space in front of the church’s shed, using excess materials he was able to procure. The project created a welcoming environment where people could connect, socialize and enjoy various activities, ultimately fostering a stronger sense of community and improving life for the church members and community residents.

Gavin Clancy’s project also helped The Bible Chapel. The project involved the design and construction of four benches, to be placed around a fire pit. In the future the church is planning to add outdoor worship, and the benches will provide a place for people to gather, socialize and connect.

The benches were engraved with “Secure, Accepted, Forgiven and Empowered,” spelling out SAFE which is a cornerstone concept for the church.

Counihan’s project helped Habitat for Humanity. The project consisted of refurbishing a room that was previously used for teaching.

Kathy Vertosick was a major help to the success of the project, which will benefit residents in the New Kensington area.

With over 230 hours of labor and raising over $1,400 through a GoFundMe page, Counihan made improvements including new lighting, new blueboards, repainted walls, cleansed areas, repairs to the frame around the room, assembling carts for classroom demonstrations, building and hanging shelving and pegboard for storage.

Stutzman’s project involved beautification of graves at the Mingo Creek Cemetery. When Stutzman contacted Dorothy Bewick, the caretaker for the cemetery suggested the idea of bringing recognition to Civil War soldiers’ graves by cleaning and marking them, in addition to clearing a patch of the cemetery that was overgrown.

Stutzman then contacted the Washington County Veterans Affairs office and found the necessary information regarding the Civil War soldiers buried in the cemetery. Stutzman was able to verify the 23 soldiers with help from numerous volunteers. Through fundraisers at The Trolley Stop Inn and Blue Line Grill, Stutzman was able to secure $1,630 for his project.

Russ Spicuzza, Elk Scouting representative from South Hills Lodge 2213 in Bethel Park, delivered a short congratulatory talk and presented the new Eagle Scouts with two framed certificates of merit, one each from the local and national Elks Lodge (Chicago). He also presented them with a personal sized American flag and a small gold lapel pin, which represents 80-plus years of the relationship between the Elks and Scouting.

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