The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
By Michele Rojek, Troop 113 Committee Publicity Chair.
Franklin Township Boy Scout Troop 113 is on the move again and ready to serve you!
On Saturday, September 5th, 2020, Troop 113 kicked off our 54th Scouting Season and we are expecting a very busy year since five of our members will be aging out of the program and on their way to earning the illustrious Eagle Scout Rank by the end of June 2021.
Becoming an Eagle Scout is the highest status that a Scout can achieve over the course of his scouting career, which typically begins in Cub Scouts at the age of six, and continues on to Boy Scouts beginning at age 11. Each candidate is required to complete a rigorous, challenging syllabus of merit badges. There are over 120 merit badges a Scout can earn based on their various interests and 21 of these are required to rank up to Eagle. These merit badges are attained by learning important life and leadership skills within a safe setting (i.e. “Cooking”) as they begin to understand what it means to be a good citizen in our community, in our nation and in our world.
The most important and final requirement on the path to Eagle is to plan, organize and implement a Service Project that is intended to benefit those in need. This opportunity gives Scouts a chance to demonstrate their leadership capabilities by guiding younger scouts to assist with the tasks. Some projects involve power tools and other large equipment, so the Scout also learns how to ask adults for help. It takes a lot of time and dedication to complete one of these projects and is truly a benefit for everyone involved, most especially our community.
Once a Scout completes their project, the BSA then conducts a review and approval process at which point the Scout is officially promoted to Eagle. This achievement is truly a mark of excellence and must be accomplished by the Scout’s eighteenth birthday.
Active projects in Troop 113 this year:
• Dylan Hayes, age 17, has planned and completed the construction of a Butterfly Garden at Willow Creek care center.
• Thomas Mrotek, age 17, has planned and completed a shed repair project at the Somerset Presbyterian Church who have been hosting our regular troop meetings for the last 50+ years.
• Joseph Rojek, age 17, has planned and is currently working on beautifying The John Clyde Native Grassland Preserve – one of our town’s most treasured parks in the Griggstown area.
• Timothy Stevens, age 17, is planning to install a much-needed batting cage for the senior field at the Franklin Township Baseball League Park where our community comes together for fun recreation.
• Andrew Terhune, age 17, is planning to construct and install “Little Libraries” at three of our township parks: Inman, Naaman Williams, & Middlebush
If you have any ideas about a service project need or are interested in learning more about our troop, please visit our website and contact us: www.troop113.com.
