WADING RIVER, NY – On Wednesday, June 16th, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker joined Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar, Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner, boy scouts, troop leaders and scout families and friends to honor Troop 161’s newest Eagle Scouts: Brandon Dougherty, Jake Field, Sean Kelly, Brendan King, William King, Denis Lane, Kaden Lynch, and Matthew Yakaboski. The ceremony was held at East Wind Long Island in Wading River.
It was an honor to congratulate the newest Eagle Scouts of Troop 161 at their Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony,
said Legislator Anker. Troop 161 has a special bond that was felt by everyone in attendance as the Eagle Scouts, troop leaders, and scout families and friends shared their stories. Their passion and work to help make our community a better place is admirable.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank that a scout can receive. It requires hard work and dedication for a scout to earn 21 merit badges, complete a community service project and undergo a lengthy review process. Brandon Dougherty, Jake Field, Sean Kelly, Brendan King, William King, Denis Lane, Kaden Lynch, and Matthew Yakaboski all received the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout after completing their community service projects.
Brandon Dougherty created a drainage system for handicapped/visitor parking spots at his local church, which stopped flooding and reduced a possible hazard for visitors. Jake Field constructed two memorial benches at the local middle school honoring fallen fellow scout Andrew McMorris. Sean Kelly raised money to have four large pine trees removed from St. Mark Roman Catholic Church parking lot, which removed a hazard for congregants and assisted in the church’s beautification efforts. Brendan King constructed an additional cabinet and expanded the shelving at the Wading River Congregational Church, which provided a dry space to store the church’s historical documents. William King organized and led a group of volunteers to assist in renovating the pantry utilized for outreach at the St. John the Baptist R.C. Church in Wading River. Denis Lane built two American Flag deposit boxes and donated them to the Robert E. Reid Senior Recreational Center in Shoreham, where they will be utilized to collect and retire damaged or worn American Flags. Kaden Lynch coordinated and implemented a recycling program at the Town of Riverhead beaches, which will help keep the beaches in the Town of Riverhead clean and assist the Town in their recycling efforts. Matthew Yakaboski designed and assembled six wooden tables for St. John the Evangelist Church, which were utilized throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by the church’s congregation to continue safely having youth group meetings, gatherings, food pantry services, and immigration counseling services outside. For more information about the Boy Scouts of America and the rank of Eagle Scout, please visit www.scouting.org.
Pictured L –R: Legislator Sarah Anker, Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, Brandon Dougherty, Jake Field, Sean Kelly, Brendan King, William King, Denis Lane, Kaden Lynch, Matthew Yakaboski, Councilwoman Jane Bonner, and Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar
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