Boy Scout Troop 5 Advances 33 Scouts; Three Achieve Eagle Rank
By Margaret Mager, Community Service Liaison, Bronxville Boy Scouts Troop 5
Jun. 22, 2016: Bronxville’s Boy Scout Troop 5 continues its strong Scouting tradition by advancing three troop members to Eagle Scout, Scouting’s highest rank.
The three new Eagle Scouts are Tim Weir, James Tubridy, and Cameron Smith. These three Scouts bring the total number of Scouts reaching Eagle rank to 24 since 2010 and 64 since 1990. Only 6% of all Scouts in America achieve Eagle Scout per year.
In addition, former Troop 5 Scoutmaster Joe Landy was awarded the prestigious Silver Buffalo Award at the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) National Annual Meeting.
What is an Eagle Scout? From the 1938 Handbook for Scoutmasters, an Eagle Scout is “a young man who is qualified to help others as well as take care of himself. His badge is not a decoration, but rather a symbol of knowledge and ability.”
Becoming an Eagle Scout requires an enormous commitment, typically taking five to seven years to achieve and must be achieved before the age of 18. Eagle Scouts are required to complete 325 requirements, including at least 22 merit badges plus an Eagle Project. The project must be planned and executed by the Scout; it can involve 200 man-hours of work by a team of volunteers led by the Scout.
All three advancing Scouts’ Eagle Projects focused on facility and ground improvement projects. Tim Weir’s project benefitted the Ridge Park Reformed Church, Ridge Park, NJ; James Tubridy’s project benefitted the Humane Society of New Rochelle; and Cameron Smith’s project benefitted the Yonkers Animal Shelter.
During the Eagle Scout Court of Honor, the Scouts participate in a pinning ceremony that recognizes the support of the Scouts’ parents. Each parent is awarded an Eagle Scout pin. In addition, the new Eagle Scouts received a letter of recognition from President Barak Obama, a testimony to the outstanding achievement it is to become an Eagle Scout.
The journey to Eagle Scout moves up the ranks, starting with Scout and progressing through Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, to Eagle. Each rank has numerous requirements that must be achieved and signed off on by a board of review. There is also the Eagle Palm award that recognizes Eagle Scouts who continue to earn merit badges after reaching Eagle Scout rank.
On June 13, Troop 5 advanced eleven boys to Scout, four boys to Tenderfoot, four boys to Second Class, ten boys to First Class, and one to Life, and one received an Eagle Palm.
The advancing Scouts are:
Scout: Henry Amar, Wil Bender, Vieko Bentikaenan, Thomas DiGaetano, Keyle Kirchmann, Zach Kirchmann, Austin Lawless, John Rizzo, Hayes Romley, James Valdes, Albert VanNess.
Tenderfoot: Sebastien Proano, James Rohr, Luke Stinga, Isaiah Weir.
Second Class: Marco LaVecchia, Mac Layton, Andrew Mager, Billy Rizzo.
First Class: JP Denfeld, Michael Kryniczyn, Xavier Layton, Eric Modesitt, Jeffrey Modesitt, Tora Ozawa, James Rhee, David Stinga, Peter Vorbach, William Wallace.
Life: Tim Cushman.
Eagle Palm: Nick Poli.
The Court of Honor ceremony included the awarding of merit badges. Seventeen Scouts received a total of 47 merit badges. Demonstrating the range of skills and interests a Boy Scout is encouraged to develop, the merit badge awards included Personal Fitness, Law, Snow Sports, Chess, and First Aid. Obtaining a merit badge is typically a rigorous process requiring demonstrable knowledge and skill in the area of study. The purpose of the merit badge program is to allow Scouts to examine subjects to determine if they would like to further pursue them as a career or vocation.
Before closing the Court of Honor ceremony, Scoutmaster Kevin Taylor thanked Charlie Vorbach for his eleven years of service. Vorbach, who is stepping down from his position as Troop 5 committee chair, served Troop 5 for six years and was a leader in Cub Scouts for five years. The Troop 5 Scout Spirit Award went to Ben Mehler.
Taylor also recognized former Troop 5 Scoutmaster Joe Landy for receiving Scout’s highest commendation of the invaluable contributions that outstanding Americans make to youth. Created in 1925, the Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis. The award is made by the National Court of Honor and was presented at the National Annual Meeting in San Diego in May.
As a leader in Boy Scouts of America (chair of the innovation committee), Landy was the driving force behind the STEM Scouts initiative, which offers the BSA an exciting and relevant new avenue to deliver Scouting values to more young people. He not only guided the program’s development through close personal involvement, but also provided the funding to make the initiative possible.
In his role as vice president for operations for the BSA, Landy oversaw the recent restructuring of the national professional staff and is directing the development of a new volunteer structure and operating procedures for the BSA.
Landy knows firsthand the local impact of national decisions. In the past decade, he has been active on the local level as a Scoutmaster and troop committee chair, national jamboree contingent leader, and Philmont adult advisor. A former Scout, Landy has received the Silver Beaver Award and the Unit Leader Award of Merit.
Landy holds a bachelor's degree in economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a master of business administration degree from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. He is co-president and co-CEO of Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm. Landy and his wife, Mary, have two Eagle Scout sons.
Pictured here (L to R): Top photo: Wil Bender (Scout), JP Denfeld (First Class), Isaiah Weir (Second Class), Tim Weir (Eagle), Jeffrey Modesitt (First Class), and Andrew Mager (Second Class); second photo (L to R): Eagle Scouts James Tubridy and Cameron Smith.
Photos by Margaret Mager, Community Service Liaison, Bronxville Boy Scouts Troop 5
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HOME & GARDEN
Bronxville Beautification Council
Organized in 1982, the Bronxville Beautification Council (BBC) is a not-for-profit organization administered by a volunteer Board of Directors. The mission of the BBC is to enhance and maintain the natural and man-made beauty of the village of Bronxville, with an emphasis on the downtown business district.
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Boulder Ledge Garden Club
Founded in 1966, the Boulder Ledge Garden Club is rooted in a mission to inspire a deeper appreciation and love for gardening and flower arranging. The club is dedicated to fostering and promoting interest and knowledge in gardening.
The Club maintains Bronxville’s Bicentennial Park and other civic gardens. In 2019–2020 the club raised $18,000 to replace trees in the village, reflecting its active role in community beautification. It also holds garden therapy projects and educational garden trips for members.
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Bronxville Giving Garden
The Bronxville Giving Garden is a community-centered garden that donates organic produce to Eastchester Community Action Partnership in Tuckahoe and Community Service Associates in Mount Vernon. The garden is also a gathering place where school children and volunteers can discover the joy of tending plants and growing food.
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Bronxville Green Committee
The Bronxville Green Committee is a volunteer organization that is part of the Village of Bronxville. It proposes and implements environmentally sustainable programs in our community.
You can contact them HERE.
SCOUTING
Bronxville Boy Scouts
The village of Bronxville has a long tradition of scouting. “The troops and packs of Bronxville have maintained the finest scouting organizations and have taught the boys of the Bronxville area to be leaders and outstanding members of the local, national and global communities.”
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Bronxville Girls Scouts
The Girls Scouts is “the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world.” In Girl Scouts, “girls discover the fun, friendship and power of girls together. Through the many enriching experiences provided by Girl Scouts, they can grow courageous and strong.”
Here is more information about girl scouts.
HISTORY
Bronxville Historical Conservancy
Inspired by the highly successful Bronxville Centennial Celebration in 1998, the Bronxville Historical Conservancy was founded to record and preserve Bronxville's history and life in the village today.
BRONXVILLE SCHOOL
Bronxville School Foundation
The Bronxville School Foundation, founded in 1991, is a non-profit organization independent from the school with the sole purpose of supporting the school.
The mission of the Bronxville School Foundation is to enhance the quality of public education in our community by engaging the support and energies of educators, citizens, parents, students and alumni.
The Foundation awards grants for projects
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LECTURES, EXHIBITS, CONCERTS
Bronxville Women's Club
The Bronxville Women’s Club offers lectures, exhibits and concerts. It also has a beautiful clubhouse which is available for rental for events.
135 Midland Avenue
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-3252
Concordia Conservatory
Concordia Conservatory, a preeminent center for music education in Westchester and Fairfield Counties, is a welcoming community where children and adults find lifelong inspiration and joy through learning, performing, listening to, and participating with others in music.
The Conservatory’s mission is to inspire, instruct, and enrich lives through music offering excellence in education and performance.
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COUNSELING
Counseling Center
Founded in 1971, the mission of the Counseling Center “is to provide a wide range of psychotherapeutic and counseling services to individuals, couples and families by a staff of highly trained, experience and dedicated psychotherapists.
The Counseling Center
180 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-793-3388
www.counselingcenter.org
SERVICE & VOLUNTEERISM
Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester & Tuckahoe
The mission of the Community Fund is “to support broad social services in Bronxville 10708, Eastchester and Tuckahoe through grants and technical support to local agencies and community projects. All money raised here in our community stays here in our community.”
15 Park Place
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-8808
www.thecommunityfund.org
Junior League of Bronxville
The Junior League of Bronxville is “an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.”
Rotary Club of Bronxville
The Rotary Club of Bronxville is part of a national network of 1.25 million problem-solvers. They see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
READING & LEARNING
Friends of the Bronxville Library
The Friends of the Bronxville Library is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to focus attention on the “Library’s services, facilities and needs” as well as sponsor projects and provide materials that are beyond the reach of the Library's regular budget and perform other services.
SENIORS
Gramatan Village
Gramatan Village is a unique community model offering programs, services and social connections that help members continue to live independently in their homes as they age. In addition, GV offers one-on-one consultations and counseling with our experienced staff to guide members through life’s transitions.
Senior Citizens of Bronxville
Senior Citizens of Bronxville is a not-for-profit organization that provides services and programs to seniors within the 10708 zip code area. “Programs cover a wide range of activities from educational seminars and cultural enrichment to community services, bridge classes and exercise.”
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