WESTFIELD – Five young men from the Boy Scouts of America Troop 109, St. Mary’s Parish, received the rank of Eagle Scout at a court of honor held Sunday at St. Mary’s High School. Attaining the rank of Eagle Scout were Zachary Albano, Alexander Alfano, Christopher Crean, Dominic Fattorini and Liam Kennedy, all 18 years old.
All of them had to choose an Eagle Scout project to complete their requirements for the rank. Albano renovated the courtyard of Sovereign Grace Church in Springfield. Alfano refurbished furniture for DOMUS, the Westfield nonprofit housing developer for their newest house. Crean built a wraparound bench for the courtyard at South Middle School. Fattorini built Stations of the Cross for St. Mary’s Parish, and Kennedy cleaned monuments in Springfield for the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
The ceremony opened with the pledge of allegiance and an invocation by Father Frank Lawlor of St. Mary’s Parish. Then Jeffrey Glaze, president of the Western Mass Council, explained that 325 requirements must be completed in order to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.
Assistant Scoutmaster Allyn Hall, Jr. ran down a list of their achievements, which include being an outdoorsman, having first aid training, showing personal and fiscal responsibility, being a good family member, becoming a good citizen and serving the community.
“They’ve come a long, long way,” said Troop 109 scoutmaster David Flaherty as he introduced the boys to the friends and family that were present. “You’ll understand in a few years how important this is.”
Eagle Scout Nicholas Albano, the brother of Zachary Albano gave the Eagle Charge on video from the Virginia Military Institute, where he will be joined by his brother after graduation. He charged the scouts to display honor, loyalty, courage, service and vision.
“It opens a lot of doors for you guys, no matter what you choose to do,” he said.
Flaherty then called the parents and family members to stand behind their sons as he conferred on them the Eagle Scout rank, saying that they wouldn’t be there without the sacrifices of their families. One by one, the mothers pinned the Eagle Scout pins on their sons, who in turn pinned one on them. Then the fathers put the Eagle Scout neckerchief and slide on their sons, and also received pins.
Mayor Brian Sullivan, Senator Don Humason, Representative John Velis and Holly Blake of the Massachusetts DAR then spoke words of congratulations, and each awarded the Eagle Scouts certificates of recognition.
Flaherty also presented each Scout with a minted silver coin commemorating the 100th anniversary of the BSA in 2010.
Each of the Eagle Scouts in turn went to the podium, thanking their scoutmasters Flaherty and Hall, and also Peter Fattorini, Dominic’s father, who was a big part of the troop and who joined them on many of their trips. Flaherty said Dominic, who will be graduating from Westfield Technical Academy this year, is the third Eagle Scout in the family, representing 20 years of scouting. The scouts also thanked their families, and their fellow scouts for their support.
“Scouting has given me a lot of experiences,” said Christopher “CJ” Crean, who will be leaving for Camp LeJeune to join the Marines in August.
“What great memories,” he added.
“I think this training will help him in life in general,” said his father Chris Crean, after the ceremony. “It’s a great accomplishment for five kids out of the same troop to earn the rank of Eagle.”
Flaherty, who said the troop will be taking three of the Eagle Scouts along with three fourteen year old scouts for a six-night, seven-day and 65-mile backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon during April vacation, has been with the troop for nine years. He said during that time they have visited five national parks, hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts, climbed Mt. Whitney in California, and taken two hundred-mile canoe trips.
Flaherty said that five Eagle Scouts is the largest class he’s had, although he did have four attain the rank once before. He also said that St. Mary’s Parish is very supportive of the troop.
