The journey ends, as a new one begins

One day, in the year 2001, a light bulb glowed over the head of Eric Robert Santell. “I do believe I will join up with Stony Creek Troop 22, BSA ,” he said. (BSA: That’s Boy Scouts of America for those of you who hate acronyms like I do.) He joined and two years later moved to a troop in Hadley, where he worked up the ranks and leadership roles. His second year at summer camp he was Senior Patrol Leader. (That means he was in charge of all the boys in the troop.) It is the highest leadership role a scout can obtain. (I, Grandma, did not make that up. Someone much wiser than I said it first.) After becoming a Life Scout in 2005, he began the journey to Eagle Scout.

He finished all the merit badges needed and began to focus on the actual project, which was to create a nature trail in Dean Mountain Park near Hadley, NY. The trail runs along the Schroon River and is used widely during the summer months. Eric and some of his fellow scouts went into the park one Saturday and raked out the area and lined the pathway edges with logs. Some of the available logs were used to create steps where the trail was steep. Others were used to build a landing where the trail broke off and went down near the water. Home Depot donated wood and Eric used it as he worked with a Cub Scout troop to build birdhouses that he later hung along the trail. He must have had a goodly supply of wood, because he then used some to make signs to label the trees.

After 16 hours of hard work on this project, on November 6 of 2007, Eric stood before a panel of scouting officials, the Eagle Board of Review. After an arduous oral exam – kind of like the ones graduates students go through – the Board approved Eric’s Eagle Scout Award and on February 9, 2008 Grandpa and I will travel to upstate New York and have the honor of seeing him receive his Eagle Scout Award.

Some think of the path to Eagle Scout as a journey. In June Eric will complete another journey as he graduates from high school. He's already into his next life-journey as he is part of the 'New Vision' program in Saratoga, NY and it appears he is headed for a place in the field of medicine.

Good Job, Eric! We’re very pleased with your efforts and your accomplishments. Keep up the good work.

Love you all, Grandma for both of us

P.S. Doesn't someone out there have something to send me to post on my blog? Business has been a little slow lately - anyone with an exciting life can post just by sending me the information by e-mail.