Photograph of Ian courtesy of Aleks Rozens
A local Boy Scout is making Graymoor, home to the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement the centerpiece of his service project to reach the rank of Eagle Scout. Ian, 16 years old and a sophomore at Scarsdale High School in Westchester County, NY, has been visiting Graymoor for weekend camping with Troop #2 Algonquin of the Hudson Valley for several years with his pack.
Each year, Ian and his fellow Scouts enjoy the vast landscape and beautiful grounds the Holy Mountain offers all its guests, taking advantage of the baseball field, picnic areas and nearby Appalachian Trail. Not to mention, throughout the years, many Friars have shared their vocation stories with the Scouts and enlightened them on ways the values and traditions of the Boy Scouts can set them up for a meaningful and successful future helping others in their own communities and neighborhoods.
When the time came for Ian to select a project to be considered for Eagle Scout designation, he immediately thought of helping the Franciscan Friars. Ian remembered on a recent camping trip to Graymoor that a gate needed repairing, and he inquired within to see if he could take on the work of repairing and rebuilding the gate. From meeting with the Facilities and Grounds team at the Holy Mountain to planning out what materials would be needed, to putting together a fundraiser to purchase all the supplies, Ian took charge without missing a beat! Ian’s father helped provide transportation to a local lumberyard and while supporting and helping Ian with this project, it was Ian who truly led all efforts from concept to execution.
Ian’s completed work will not only leave a tangible reminder of his service but will also represent the values of stewardship and compassion that lie at the heart of scouting. Such values are similar to those espoused by Servant of God Paul Wattson and are at the core of the mission of the Friars of the Atonement.
For Ian, “the path to Eagle Scout is not merely a badge of honor but a culmination of years of hard work, camaraderie, and personal growth.”
Ian’s family is pleased with the way his Boy Scout troop has instilled positive values in all of the scouts. “When you have a kid, you only have a few formative years to bond and connect with them,” Ian’s dad said during an interview. “Then, they’re off, and you have to trust and rely on the friends they make and other role models they find, and hope they instill positive values and traits. I see that in the Boy Scouts, especially in Troop #2 Algonquin of the Hudson Valley.”
Brother Ted Novak would be so proud. As an Order of the Arrow, honorary he loved seeing the Scouts at Graymoor, sharing sodas and hot dogs or sandwiches with them. Many remember and one from Florida still attends Benefactor days there. You never imagine the scope of your kindness.
Great story, great program.