Eagle Scout Project preserves history
Boy Scout Troop 145
As his Eagle Scout project Chris Bacek, along with the help of his fellow scouts from BSA Troop 145 of Clark Township, documented the inscriptions of some of the oldest tomb stones in Rahway Cemetery on Saturday, August 12th, 2023.
Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. Reaching Eagle Scout rank entails a lot of hard work, and a project must be completed which entails leadership, and a lot planning and work to achieve.
Due to time and erosion some of the stones in Raway Cemetery are deteriorating. The cemetery is an important part of American history. Buried there are Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers, and Abraham Clark, signer of the Declaration of Independence and namesake for Clark Township.
The scouts carefully and respectfully recorded sections 1, 2, and 5 of Rahway Cemetery. They noted names, dates, and special characteristics of the graves and took a picture of each headstone.
Upon completion, a digital file, as well as a printed document, will be presented to Rahway historian Al Shipley and the staff of the Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum for archiving.
Participating scouts and leadership included Erie Lugo, Dante Cistaro, Xander Cistaro, Anderson Schieferstein, Spencer Prusakowski, Chris Bacek, Nick Merola, Alex Kefalas, and Rui Macieira.
Boy Scout Troop 145 is an active Troop of young men who dedicate themselves to the values of Scouting while learning and having fun in a safe environment. Scouting teaches leadership, citizenship and volunteerism, as well as appreciation for the outdoors.
Chris Bacek and his family would like to thank Al Shipley of Merchants and Drovers Museum, Bee Real Photography, and ShopRite of Clark and Phillipo’s Pizza for their assistance and generous donations.
