Troop 298 Elevates 63rd Eagle Scout

New Hyde Park Boy Scout Troop 298 member Eamonn John Lennon celebrated his Eagle Court of Honor at Holy Spirit Church on Sept. 22, becoming the 63rd Eagle Scout of Troop 298 out of Gloria Dei Church since it was chartered in 1947.

For his Eagle project, Lennon planned, supervised and completed renovations at Holy Spirit Church. The project consisted of sanding, staining and varnishing the front doors, painting 150 ft. of black railing, two plaques and the church lobby, taking several weeks to complete the project. Throughout his years as a scout, Lennon has also participated in numerous community service and Eagle projects throughout the neighborhood and achieved numerous awards and religious emblems.

Lennon said his Eagle Court of Honor was "one of the best days of his life" and the past 10 years he has learn'd so much through scouting. He holds an outstanding scout record earning 59 merit badges, 15 awards and hundreds of hours in community service.

Lennon joined Cub Scouts Pack 489 in the first grade and has been in scouting ever since, earning the arrow of light award in 2007, the highest award in Cub Scouts. In the fifth grade he bridged into Boy Scout Troop 298. He has held various leadership positions in the troop, including patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, troop historian and chaplain aide. He has also served pack 489 with Blue and Gold Slide Shows and Troop 298 with holiday slide shows for the past six years. In 2012 he became a member of the Order of the Arrow – the honor society of Boy Scouts – and in 2013 he was inducted into the Brotherhood. Last year he joined Venture Crew 333.

Currently a senior in New Hyde Park Memorial High School, Lennon plans to go to college, majoring in video editing and film production. Eamonn’s other passion is music as he plays fiddle, spins records and owns his own DJ business for the past five years. He plans on staying active in scouting.

"It takes a community to raise a child," he said, thanking God that he "lived in this community" as well as his parents for guiding him through scouting and believing that one day he would become an Eagle Scout. He also thanked family, friends and members of the community who allowed him to demonstrate all that he learned in Scouting by completing service Projects’s, thanked present, past leaders and adults of Troop 298, who have given so generously of their time to scouting over the years. Finally he tells his fellow scouts, to reach for the stars believe in them selves never give up on there dreams, and to follow his footsteps to the road to Eagle.

Eamonn was escorted in by Bagpiper Michael Cantillon and had over 230 people attend the ceremony, including National Eagle Association Dr. David Doucette, local church leaders Fr. Grieco and Deacon Darrell, NY Sen. Jack Martins, Nassau County Clerk Maureen O' Connell, North Hempstead Councilman Angelo Ferrara, Nassau Legis. Richard Nicolello, Nassau District Court Judge Joy Watson, County Judge David Sullivan, Nassau County Police officer Nick Mosesso, New Hyde Park Village Major Robert Lofaro, American Legions member John McGuire, NHP Lions Club member Eddie Falconer, Michael McBride, Knights of Columbus member Tom Brenner, Diocese of RVC Catholic Committee on Scouting Ann Ellingham, Throggs Neck Troop 182 ScoutMaster Gerard Pilate, Ms. Janet Dickinson of the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park Elementary School District, Dr. Eileen Valdes and Laurence Mechanic of the Sewanhaka School District and Air Force Base Col. Rainer Burger.

Get New Hyde Park news on Facebook