WESTHAMPTON — Eleven years after dissolving due to lack of enrollment, Scout Troop 209 of Westhampton is very much thriving today thanks in part to three young men who were feted last week for earning the rank of Eagle Scout.
Some 100 people packed into Westhampton Town Hall last Thursday for a court of honor celebrating the hard work and dedication that Christopher Alexander, Ryan Brooks and Zachary Morrey put in to earn the highest rank a Scout can achieve.
While scouting helped the three friends stay close over the years, their friendship began long before their scouting days at Westhampton Elementary School when they met in kindergarten.
The trio all joined Cub Scouts in 2014, the same year Troop 209 dissolved. Just three years later in 2017, a small group of Scouts including Alexander, Brooks and Morrey helped revive the club when they crossed over from Cub Scouts to Scouts.
For Troop 209 Scoutmaster Matt Chariter, who became scoutmaster two years ago, the court of honor and the trio’s years of dedication show that scouting is alive and well not only in Westhampton but throughout the Pioneer Valley.
“This is our first Eagle court of honor since 2014,” Chartier said in an interview with the Gazette. “It’s amazing to see where the troop has come from. When they (Alexander, Brooks and Morrey) crossed over in 2017, there was just a small number of them.”
He explained that kids may lose interest in scouting or have other responsibilities, but the Westhampton troop now has roughly 26 scouts. Two other members earned the rank of Eagle in 2022, but neither wanted a court of honor.
“Awarding the Eagle badge rank is an important and serious matter,” Chariter said at the court of honor. “It is the goal which these scouts have worked for several years. It is the culmination of efforts by the scouts, parents and scout leaders. It is an occasion for pride and for joy.”
Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), was founded in 1910 by William D. Boyce. Chartered by Congress, it aims to teach core values such as teamwork, perseverance and community engagement to the youth of the United States, through outdoor recreation such as camping and hiking.
Children as young as 5 years old can join the Cub Scouts and work to earn merit badges through mastering different skills such as fire starting.
Chariter began the court of honor, guiding the scouts through the Scout Oath, Law and Motto. Following that, many speakers involved in the pack from scoutmasters to representatives of the Western Massachusetts Council of Scouting America praised the hard work and dedication of the new Eagle Scouts.
Chariter welcomed Richard Stritzinger, a member of the executive board of the Western Mass Council, to guide the scouts through the Eagle Pledge. They were joined by others who achieved the same honor in the past, all earning the required 21 merit badges.
Keith Buckhout, the commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3422 in Easthampton, congratulated the Eagle Scouts on their achievement. As a former Boy Scout himself, he said the lessons they have learned will help guide them into adulthood and beyond.
“I know the journey you have traveled to this point, you’ve earned the title Eagle Scout,” he said. “Each of you and your parents have sacrificed many, many hours to reach the pinnacle of scouting and you all have to be congratulated.”
Chariter explained that in the BSA achievement program after the First Class Rank, a scout must pass the Star Rank and Life Rank, before Eagle. To earn Eagle, each scout must complete a project that shows their leadership and dedication to the community.
As the court of honor neared the end, each of the eagles stood at the podium giving final sentiments. Alexander started by thanking everyone from his parents and family to his troop leaders for supporting him reach the achievement.
“Lastly, I want to thank these other two gentleman,” Alexander said about Brooks and Morrey. “You guys made scouting a blast and largely are a part of the reason why I followed through with it.”
For his Eagle project, Alexander built and installed 11 wood duck boxes for the Western Massachusetts Duck Hunters Association, and also repaired existing duck boxes along the Housatonic River in Lenox.
“My dad and granddad were both Eagle Scouts, so as one could imagine, it’s very important to them and to me that I got it …,” said Brooks. “We all went to kindergarten together … then we all went to different schools. Scouting helped keep us together, as all lifelong friends.”
For Brooks’ project, he helped spearhead repair and paint projects at the Westhampton Historical Blacksmith Shop barn.
“I’d like to give a thank you to all the scout masters for helping all of us,” said Morrey. “That last little bit is very hard and there’s times that we didn’t think we were going to make it, but through everyone helping all of us, we were able to finish our goals.”
For Morrey’s project, he revamped a prior Eagle Scout project by upgrading a prayer trail at the Christ United Methodist Church. He helped build and install foot bridges, trimmed undergrowth and built benches on the trail.
In an interview with the Gazette after the court of honor, the trio reminisced on fond memories they have from their time as scouts, particularly times camping together cooking dinners around the fire.
“Teamwork, you know a big thing when you get to a campout is everyone’s got their job,” Morrey said, about one thing he learned from scouting. “You got to do your job because if you don’t do your job then everything falls apart.”