Brendan Noone and Gavin Stewart make Eagle Scout

Troop 108 recently held an Eagle Scout Court of Honor to c ommend two of their own –B rendan Noone and Gavin Stewart — for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.

A ccording to the Eagle Court of Honor Program, Troop 108 has inducted 80 young men into this prestigious level of S couting since 1948.

The Eagle Scout rank is the highest rank attainable in the p rogram of Boy Scouts of America (BSA). This well-recognized rank was first awarded in 1912 and since then, more than two m illion Scouts have earned the noteworthy rank.

Requirements include earni ng at least 21 merit badges with each badge displayed on a merit badge sash as part of the Boy Scout uniform. Each Scout comp letes requirements of various ranks during their years in Scouting, culminating in the f ull-fledged rank of Eagle Scout.

Brendan joined scouting in the first grade as a Cub Scout in Pack 81. He joined Troop 108 in March 2015. For his Eagle Scout Project, he created three shelter bins for feral cats, 30 fleece blankets, and held a food/supply drive for Cat Crew Rescue of Oradell, a non-profit organization that rescues and finds homes for feral cats.

According to Brendan, the shelter bins provide homes for outdoor cats. The fleece blankets give the cats warmth and are given to owners after an adoption of a cat.

Brendan is attending Ithaca

College in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Gavin began his scouting journey in 2010 with Cub Scout Pack 81 in Hillsdale. He went on to join Troop 108 and held three positions within the Troop: Quartermaster, Patrol Leader, and Senior Patrol Leader. In fulfilling the requirements of Eagle rank, Gavin also earned a Bronze Palm and a Gold Palm, as well as 31 Merit badges. An Eagle Palm is awarded for continued leadership and skills development after the Eagle Scout rank has been earned.

Gavinʼs Eagle Scout Service Project involved building six Palmer Doll Houses to benefit the Westwood Fire Department and he worked on this spe- cial project with his fellow s couts and family members. According to Captain Scott Stewart of the Westwood Fire D epartment, Palmer Doll House s are used as an important training tool for firefighters to show how ventilation affects a h ouse fire.

Taking wing: Brendan N oone (left) and Gavin Stewart (right) were recently awarded the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. The talented young men are members of Boy Scout Troop 108 in Hillsdale.

After completing the construction of six Palmer Doll H ouses, Gavin also helped coordinate a demonstration led by Westwood firefighters during which a Palmer Doll House was lighted and comparisons were m ade about the presence and e ffects of air on the fire.

Gavin was employed by NoBeBosCo as a Camp Couns elor during the summers of 2021 and 2022, holding the positions of Counselor at Large i n the Nature Department and Assistant Quartermaster.

The Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared.” These young m en who have recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout will undoubtedly always be prep ared throughout their lives to accomplish great things.

The adult leaders of Boy Scout Troop 108 are Scoutmast er Anthony Guzman, and Assistant Scoutmaster Matthew Baker and Carlos Guzman.