Eagle Scouts

 
2016 SKANEATELES EAGLE SCOUTS... by Lori Ruhman
Members of the Skaneateles Rotary Club saw first-hand (times four!!!) the results of their sponsorship of Boy Scout Troop 61 during a ceremony at the end of their weekly meeting last night.  Four young men became Eagle Scouts as Rotarians and about 60 additional guests looked on.
     The Skaneateles Rotary Club has been sponsoring this troop since 1933, according to Bob Sheppard, troop committee chairperson. The Rotary Club provides funding and support to organizations and groups locally and internationally.
     The Eagle Court of Honor was for; Christopher Niebuhr, Jim O’Connell, Dan O’Connell,
and Rex Ramsgard. All graduated in June of 2016.
 
Rex Ramsgard, who had just returned from Asia and was about to fly to South Africa, talked about how he already has seen the value of the skills he learned as a scout ... and has leaned on those skills in his world travels. 
 
Dan O’Connell expressed gratitude to all who helped him grow in scouting and to all who helped this group of boys become Eagle scouts.  He turned to face them .. ... the scout leaders, the parents, the community … and said thank you.
 
Christopher Niebuhr  also expressed gratitude, stressing that this is an exceptional scout troop, with exceptional leaders who have given extraordinary experiences.
 
Jim O'Connell, who recently returned from several months in the west with NOLs, said that he, too, has already relied heavily on the skills he learned in scouting.  He said that his years in scouting as he headed toward this achievement gave him the best and most meaningful experiences of his life so far.
 
There was standing room only inside the dining room at the Sherwood Inn as community members joined Rotarians to observe the ceremony.
 
 The boys have been together since they were in first grade ... and have camped, volunteered, traveled, golfed, skied, flown, boated, stretched and challenged. 
 
"Last night was like a hug from the community.  My boys will always remember it," said parent Sharon O'Connell. "They were charged to be honorable, to be courageous, and to give back.  The community said we are honoring you ... and we are expecting you to give back."
 
Participants:
  1. Nicholas Paciorek, Troop 61 Senior Patrol Leader 
  2. Rev. Dr. Craig Lindsay
  3. David Penfield, Scoutmaster and Master of Ceremonies 
  4. Andrew Ramsgard, Immediate Past Scoutmaster 
  5. Robert Sheppard, Troop Committee Chairperson, to give Eagle Award 
  6. Graham Ellison, Assistant Scoutmaster to give Eagle Challenge 
  7. Parents: Margaret Usdansky & Gustav Niebuhr, Sharon & James O’Connell and Sherie & Andrew Ramsgard