Boy Scouts

Photo and information submitted by John Petry.

A group of Cub Scouts from Pack 69 were recently promoted to Boy Scouts and all received the Arrow of Light Award, the highest award a Cub Scout can earn.

Pictured, from left, Webelos Assistant Leader Mike Pehrson, Aaron Whiteford, LJ Petry, Dylan Pehrson, Jack DeMarzo, Cubmaster Bruce Bartz, and Webelos Leader John Petry. Front row: Shayne Moak.

Write-up submitted by Laurie Clarke:

On Saturday, at the Indian Falls United Methodist Church, Christopher Clarke was honored at an Eagle Court of Honor Ceremony where he was awarded the highest rank in Boy Scouting -- the rank of Eagle Scout.

Christopher was presented with several citations from President Barack Obama, the Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Kathy Hochul just to name a few. Assemblyman Stephen Hawley attended the ceremony and presented Christopher with a New York State Assembly Citation. Chris will also be receiving an American flag that was flown at the Capitol in honor of his Eagle Scout accomplishment.

In 2006 when Christopher was 8 years old he joined Troop 6066 in Indian Falls as a Cub Scout and began his journey toward becoming an Eagle Scout, a journey that would take him in many different directions. Along the way, Chris had the opportunity to visit new places, meet new people and learn many new things.

In 2010, Troop 6066 traveled to AP Hill, Va., to attend the National Boy Scout Jamboree, making many stops along the way at different historical sites.

The troop also went on numerous camping and kayaking trips including the Adirondack Mountains.

Throughout scouting Christopher was active in the community participating in Adopt-A-Highway program, planting trees for the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, ringing the bells for the Salvation Army, flag retirement ceremonies and many other community activities.

Christopher completed his Eagle Scout Project at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama. With the help of fellow Scouts, family and friends, Chris constructed a handicap accessible duck blind. The blind was built in pieces and then transported to the duck pond on the refuge where it was assembled at the end of a long dock.

Chris spent many hours researching the correct measurements and regulations for a handicapped building, locating funding for and finally putting a crew together to build and transport the blind.

Chris says “Scouts allowed me to learn many things that I would not have learned  if I had not had the opportunity to be in scouting. Boy Scouting gave me the chance to grow as a person, to be part of the community and meet many wonderful people along the way."

Photos and article submitted by Steve Ognibene:

Three obligations of an Eagle are honor, loyalty and courage. Today marked the third Eagle Ceremony in the past three months for Troop 69 of Batavia.

Today’s Eagle Court of Honor was for Andrew T. Lichtenthal. Eagle is the highest recognition that scouting offers. Earned through the advanced program, only a small percentage of boys who begin in scouting receive this honor.

Andrew beat the percentages here. Starting at the age of 14 he had a goal and that was to achieve the Eagle rank.

“Scouting has really helped me break out of my shell!" Andrew said, "I can remember my first meeting where all I could do is look at the floor as I was nervous to be embarrassed by the new faces. I feel much more confident around strangers and I have the tools to earn their respect.”

Andrew's mom and dad have supported him, along with Verne Luce, Bill Brown and Rick Porter and gave him the encouragement to make this his day.

“Now I feel truly prepared to go out into the world and face any challenges that I may meet," he said.

It’s never too late to become a Boy Scout. Troop 69 meets at the First Presbyterian Church on Sunday evenings at 6:30 starting Sept. 9.

Top photo: From left, are Troop 69 Eagle Scouts Andrew Fischer, Andrew T. Lichtenthal and Garrett Eggebrecht. 

Jean Lichtenthal, Andrew's mother, pins her son’s Eagle pin on shirt. 

Tom Lichtenthal, Andrew's father, adjusts the Eagle neckerchief and slide around Andrew’s collar.  

Verne Luce received the Mentor Pin from Andrew. The Mentor Pin signifies the most influential person who has helped a scout to earn his Eagle.

Boy Scout Troop 6069 will hold its first chicken BBQ from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. (Cub Scout Pack 6069 has held a couple in the recent past, but this is a first for the whole troop).

The money raised will help pay for future scout outings as well as new camping equipment. Event organizer and Boy Scout dad Steve Ognibene said that depending on how successful the chicken BBQ is, they may make it an annual thing.

Dinners are take-out only and include half a chicken, salt potatoes, green beans, a dinner roll and butter. Tickets are $9 and can be purchased at the event -- which is at Clor's Meat Market, at 4169 W. Main St. Road in Batavia -- or in advance. Call Ognibene at 409-8358 or Lorelei Roll at 300-9500 for pre-sale tickets.

Free delivery is available to local senior living communities.

Photo taken by Steve Ognibene. Pictured are Jon Slezak, Ethan Gaylord, Andrew Freeman, Jon Totten and Thomas Ognibene. (There are 14 boys in the troop, but only these five were able to make it for the picture.)

Jacob M. Finkney and Gabriel L. Frey were honored Wednesday by the Town of Pembroke Board with a proclamation recognizing their achievement in attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Supervisor Ed Mileham presented the proclamations.

Photo courtesy of Town Clerk Nicole M. Begin.

Area scouts showed their colors and displayed true Boy Scout pride last night for the "BoyPower Distinguished Citizens" dinner at Genesee Community College.

These young men and their leaders are members of Iroquois Council Trail, Inc., the Boy Scouts of America council serving Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Livingston and Niagara counties. Every year, they honor one outstanding community member from each county.

Betty Lapp was the 2012 Distinguished Citizen for Genesee County. Lapp is the former director of GCC's Nursing program. She retired in 2005, and has been a "professional volunteer" ever since.

Originally from Ohio, Lapp has an impressive track record as a Geneseean:

• Board Chairperson of United Memorial Medical Center
• Board Chairperson of Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (formerly BOCES)
• Regional Action Phone
• Family Counseling Services
• Parent Teacher Association
• Cub Scouts
• Genesee County Department of Health
• Genesee County Mental Health Services

Her service to the wider region includes membership in the following organizations:

• Lake Plains Community Care Network
• WNY Rural Area Health Education Center
• Genesee Valley School Boards Association

Other recipients were:

James Culbertson, Livingston County

David Bellavia, Orleans County (Bellavia currently lives in Batavia, but is originally from Lyndonville)

MORE after the jump (click on the headline to read more):

It's taken more than 160 hours of his own time, and countless hours of help from volunteers, but Christopher Clarke, Indian Falls Boy Scout Troop 6066, has completed the key component of his Eagle Scout project -- a birder blind at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge that is handicapped accessible.

After getting assistance from an engineer to design the structure and help from fellow Boy Scouts and Boy Scout leaders during the construction of the modular blind, Chris supervised installation of the parts Sunday afternoon.

"A lot of people from all over come here, so this is something that is pretty much for everybody," Chris said when asked why he decided to tackle this project.

During waterfoul hunting season -- which opens Saturday -- only hunters with disabilities will be able to make reservations to use the blind, according to the park's assistant manager, Dawn Washington.

After the season ends Nov. 17, photographers -- both those with disabilities and those without -- will be able to reserve the blind.

Only birders with reservations will be allowed in the blind, Washington said, and visitors to the park who happen down Feeder Road are asked not to disturb anybody using the blind. A sign next to the entrance to the blind's walkway asks visitors to respect the solitude of people using the blind.

During the spring and summer, the gated entrance to the road is locked, but park officials will help people with reservations gain access to that portion of the park.

The blind is at the end of a long dock that was installed by Jonathan Hoste and members of Troop 40 from Wrights Corners. The dock was paid for with federal grant money.

Chris, who enjoys hunting and fishing and has taken a few scouting hikes in the park, said when he heard park officials wanted to get a handicapped accessible blind installed at the end of the dock, he decided he would like to help the park with the project.

"It all came along pretty smoothly," Chris said. "We only had a couple of minor changes."

To make reservations to use the blind, call (585) 948-5445.