Watchung Troop 32 Honors Weber and Gargano
Submitted by Yvette Nora Whitley
On June 5, Watchung Troop 32 held a celebration at the Elks Pavilion in Warren to honor Elliott Gargano and Jacob Weber, two high school seniors who had achieved the rank of Eagle Scout earlier this year. Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over 2.5 million youth.
Elliott Gargano developed and installed a small bird sanctuary consisting of six birdhouses and three nesting platforms to attract birds to the area and provide housing. It is located on the Kindness Trail situated in the rear property area of Wilson Memorial Church on Valley Road in Watchung. It is open to the general community and all are welcome to visit. Elliott recently graduated from Immaculata High School and will attend Stevens Institute of Technology in the fall and plans to major in Physics.
Jacob Weber created a family community room and nursery which is situated in the school wing of Wilson Memorial. For this project, he created storage benches, constructed a privacy wall for young mothers, painted walls and installed new carpeting. Since the reopening of the church for worship, the family room has been an important component to provide safety and comfort to little ones. Jacob graduated from Watchung Hills Regional High School and will attend SUNY Binghamton in September.
Troop 32 serves the town of Watchung through youth development, community service projects, and participation in civil ceremonies and dedications. This organization has been in existence for 84 years and Elliott and Jacob become the 120th and 121st Eagle Scouts respectively to come from this troop. Wilson Memorial Church is the charter organization for the troop as well as Watchung Cub Scout Pack 32.
