LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Troop 234 Eagle Court of Honor


Photo Jim Babson

Moraga Boy Scout Troop 234, chartered by the St. Monica Men's Club, awarded the Eagle Scout Rank to five young men in a Court of Honor ceremony held June 1 at St. Monica Catholic Church.

To become an Eagle Scout, candidates must advance through the scouting ranks from the Scout to Life Rank. Candidates must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, including 13 Eagle-required merit badges, in the areas of Leadership, Outdoor Skills and Community Service. Life Scouts must be active in the troop for six months, serve in a leadership position within the Troop and demonstrate Scout spirit. In addition, Life Scouts must plan, develop and provide leadership in the completion of an approved community service project.

All combined these five Eagle Scouts performed more than 720 community service hours, camped over 425 nights, hiked over 985 miles and earned more than 172 merit badges.

Campolindo senior Ethan Baxter, for his Eagle service project, constructed a new gravel path to the mailbox at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lafayette and installed a replacement mailbox in the style of the church.

Andrew Fenske, a junior at Campolindo, removed an existing asphalt path and installed a new 80-foot gravel creekside path behind Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lafayette for his Eagle service project.

Russell Kolm, a junior at Orinda Academy, rebuilt nine stations and updated the other eight stations of the 17- station Par Course Fitness Circuit along the Lafayette-Moraga Trail near Moraga Commons.

Campolindo senior Marco Nykodym sanded and stained a large deck at Campolindo High School, and planted drought-resistant plants around the exterior of the deck.

John Stepp, a junior at Campolindo, designed and built three planter beds, made from scrap lumber, for the Campolindo High School Garden.

In addition to these five Scouts, the troop recently presented the Eagle award to Phillip Ku, a senior at Campolindo, who was unable to attend the ceremony. Phil designed, built and installed a series of redwood and gravel steps up a steep incline at Beaconsfield Canyon for the Friends of Sausal Creek for his Eagle service project.

Troop 234 invites those interested in learning more about Scouts to contact the Scoutmaster, Jeff Price, at jeffprice33@comcast.net or go to http://moragatroop234.org.