Troop 62 honors three Eagle Scouts

sUBMITTED By Ken Skyer Goshen — On Oct. 16 a National Court of Honor was convened in the First Presbyterian Church in Goshen to present the Eagle Scout recognition from the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America to Patrick W. Fletcher, Adam D. Graesser and Matthew H. Skyer. This event is significant in many ways. It is the first time more than one scout from Troop 62 received the Eagle award at the same Court of Honor. The troop was established in 1998 by Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 1708 of Goshen. In its 12th year it has 12 Eagle Scouts. The Court of Honor was unique because it was a ceremony for Eagle Scouts conducted and officiated by Eagle Scouts. The Master of Ceremonies for the Court of Honor was Mark Fellenzer, of Fellenzer Engineering (Eagle Scout 1973). The Invocation was given by Rev. David Kingsley (Eagle 1967) of First Presbyterian Church and the Opening Ceremony was by Village Trustee Malcolm Stewart (Eagle1964). There were 23 “mature eagles” in attendance. During the ceremony they were asked to stand behind the candidates for the presentation of the Eagle Badge. Each of the Eagle candidates had family members that are Eagle Scouts who participated in the ceremony. Patrick’s uncle, Walter Smith (1975) delivered the Eagle Charge. Adam’s cousin, Max Johnson (2009) read the Trail to Eagle, and Stephen Skyer (1976), Matt’s uncle, gave the Eagle Pledge. Representatives from the Hudson Valley Council BSA who took part in the presentations included Council Commissioner Wilma Zupko, Scout Executive Steve Gray and Council President Michael Caporlingua. The ceremony featured much of the pomp and circumstance occasions like these usually display. There were also ironic and bittersweet moments along with the keeping and making of traditions to follow. Adam’s father, John Graesser is the Scoutmaster of Troop 62. He opted to be a non-uniformed proud parent for the occasion. The honor of presenting all three Eagle awards went to Assistant Scoutmaster Robert Helt, Mr. Graesser’s predecessor. Mr. Helt started the boys on their journey to Eagle however it was Mr. Graesser that gave them counsel and saw they finished. The second was the absence of Matthew’s grandmother, Grace Skyer, a Boy Scout volunteer for 35 years. She passed away 46 days earlier after a difficult battle with illness. For many years Grace served on and chaired the District Eagle Review Board. Mrs. Skyer lived to see her first of three grandsons, earn the award, Matt has two cousins in Idaho that are Boy Scouts, and although she was not at the presentation her spirit was felt in others. It was a great source of pride for her to raise four sons who along with others in attendance, credit her with why they became Eagle Scouts. 100 years of Scouting Concurrently this is the 100 Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America and a time for reflecting back on traditions as well as looking ahead to the future. Features of Troop 62’s first Eagle Court of Honor held in 2002 for Jordan Bergus were incorporated at this occasion. The Scout Chaplin, who gave the Benediction then, Rev. Ken Wonderland, reprised his role in the ceremony. At Jordan’s award ceremony he had been presented and wore the same Eagle pin that had been given to his great uncle in the ‘40s and later was worn by his father in the ‘70s. This moment was repeated as Matt Skyer received the same Eagle pin that was placed on his father Ken by his mom, Matt’s grandmother, in1970. A celebration luncheon prior to the Court of Honor was held in Fellowship Hall of the church. At that time elected officials were invited to make comment or express congratulations. Orange County Sheriff, Carl Dubois, Town of Goshen Supervisor Doug Bloomfield, Village of Goshen Trustee Kyle Roddey (Eagle 2003) and officials representing US Congressman John Hall, State Senator William Larkin, Assemblywomen Annie Rabbit, County Executive Edward Diana, all presented some recognition item along with Goshen Masonic Lodge, Chester Knights of Columbus, and VFW Post 1708, who sponsors Troop 62. In attendance was former Congressman Benjamin Gilman, who first went to Washington DC as a Boy Scout to attend the 1937 Jamboree. Matt Skyer and the Congressman have a 15-year history. The Congressman was of great assistance to Matt’s parents in 1995 when they faced difficulty completing the adoption in Paraguay for him and his sister. In 2004 the Hudson Valley Council held a retirement dinner for Mr. Gilman, to honor him for his many years of service to the Boy Scouts. Matt, then a Cub Scout age 9 gave a speech “Why Mr. Gilman was his hero” and asked the Congressman “would he attend his Eagle ceremony when he became one.” It was a promise honored. In order to earn the rank of Eagle, the scout must conceive, plan and implement a Leadership Service Project of his own choice. Patrick’s leadership project was to conduct an animal needs drive for the Blooming Grove Animal Shelter. Collection boxes were set up and door to door solicitations were made. The sign in front of the facility was also refurbished. The project was 180 hours with 26 volunteers. He is now 18, a freshman at SUNY College at Purchase and is the son of Kent and Patricia Fletcher of Chester. The Town of Goshen’s Gene Ganley Park benefited from Adam’s project. It entailed cleaning, making repairs and painting of basketball backstops and court, pavilion, play ground equipment and the sign as well as mulch the play ground area. It took 205 hours with 44 volunteers. Adam, now 18 is a freshman at SUNY Orange, and is the son of John and Allyson Graesser of Goshen. Matt, now 16 and a sophomore at Goshen High School, is son of Kenneth Skyer & Barbara Thompson of Goshen. His project was to have deer resistant foundation plantings featuring an English Knot Garden of an original design to compliment the architecture and restoration efforts of the caretaker cottage at the Haight Cemetery The project involved 35 volunteers and took 328 hours to complete.