Boy Scout Troop 895 Awards a Record 8 Eagle Badges

By KEVIN DRAWBAUGH
Special to the Falls Church Times

Falls Church’s Boy Scout Troop 895 achieved a noteworthy record in 2009 by awarding the Eagle rank to eight Scouts — an historic high for the 55-year-old troop, reflecting its tradition of leadership, adventure and service to the community.

The troop has 60 active members ranging in age from 11 to 18. It normally awards a handful of Eagle badges per year, but an unusually large number of dedicated Scouts earned the rank in 2009, topping the previous annual record of six Eagle awards.

Scouts in the troop who became Eagles this year were Matt Baker, Will Doty, Simon Farrow, Max Faulkner, Vincent McLeese, Matthew Rollo, Noam Terman, and Eric Westerfield.

The Eagle badge is the highest rank in Scouting. It is earned by only 4 percent of boys involved in the world’s largest youth organization.

Eagles must complete a demanding set of requirements, earning numerous merit badges. Some deal with subjects that teach lifelong lessons, such as citizenship, communications, personal fitness, first aid, and environmental science. Others develop outdoor skills long associated with Scouting, such as hiking, camping, swimming and canoeing.

To become an Eagle, a Scout must serve in leadership positions in his troop, and complete a community service project. The hard work of Eagle candidates from Troop 895 can be spotted all over the Falls Church area.

For instance, Baker built a nature path at a senior citizens facility; Farrow constructed mulching bins for the gardens at Mt. Daniel Elementary School; and Doty installed a landscape retaining wall at Lee-Graham pool.

Based at Falls Church Presbyterian Church, Troop 895 has been a part of the community for decades. Members each year collect hundreds of pounds of food from area residents for donation to local food banks; spend a day cleaning a local park; and sell and distribute mulch, citrus fruit and holiday ornaments.

The troop schedules a weekend outdoor activity each month. Trips frequently involve camping, hiking, skiing, canoeing and visiting historic sites. High adventure trips available to older Scouts include backpacking in the Blue Ridge Mountains and New Mexico, fishing in the Canadian lakes, and sailing and diving in the Caribbean. This summer the troop is planning a two-week trip to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

The troop meets each Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Falls Church Presbyterian Church and welcomes visits by families interested in joining and getting involved.

Started in 1907 in Britain, Scouting today is thriving with 28 million members in 160 countries, double its numbers of 20 years ago. The Boy Scouts of America marks its 100th birthday on February 8. This summer thousands of Scouts will gather for a Centennial Jamboree in Virginia.