JACKSON — An Eagle Scout Court of Honor for two young men who are members of Boy Scout Troop 34 in Jackson was held on Feb. 4.
Troop 34 is chartered by Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 1. The Court of Honor ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Jackson Mills Fire Company.
According to a press release from Troop 34, Alex Fitzsimmons and Sam Savage were recognized for the community service projects they completed in order to attain the rank of Eagle Scout.
Troop 34 has advanced 53 scouts to the rank of Eagle Scout. At present, 10 young men are working toward the rank of Eagle Scout, according to the press release.
For his Eagle Scout project, Alex added four musical play stations to the Elms Elementary School playground.
The interactive chime, drum, cowbell and pipe organ centers were designed, constructed and installed by Alex, who is a junior assistant scoutmaster for Troop 34 and a junior at Jackson Liberty High School.
Alex was inspired by his twin brother, Andrew, who has autism and cerebral palsy, according to the press release.
Andrew was a student in the first preschool disability class at Elms in 2003.
Although Andrew’s physical disabilities prevent him from playing on typical playground equipment, he loves music, rhythm and singing. Andrew has enthusiastically tested and wholeheartedly approved Alex’s musical playground equipment, according to the press release.
For his Eagle Scout project, Sam, who is a senior at Jackson Memorial High School, chose to work with Harbor House, which assists at-risk youths between the ages of 10 and 21 from Monmouth and Ocean counties. One way Harbor House does this is by offering residential and transitional housing.
Sam created “care kits” to benefit newly arriving youths as they enter the housing that is offered by Harbor House.
Each care kit consists of a bin filled with new items to help a youth settle in to his new accommodations.
The bins will include a pillow, blanket, set of sheets, bath towel, washcloth, toiletries and oral care items. Sam exceeded his goal and assembled more than 50 care kits to gift to Harbor House, according to the press release.
