ROCKPORT — After nearly a decade of work, Rockport Scout Troop 20 members Damian Sorrenti, Daniel Merz, Zachary Champagne have been named Eagle Scouts, the highest rank attainable in Boy Scouting.
Friends and family celebrated the three Scouts’ achievement at an Eagle Courts of Honor at Scout Hall on Mt. Pleasant Street this past Saturday.
“Everything is earned in the Scouts,” said troop Scoutmaster Ken Ford, who has led the three since the beginning of their Boy Scouts journey. “Nothing is given. They’ve been working at it for years. Most come in at age 11 and work their way through the ranks. All three of them are 18 now.”
To be named an Eagle, Scouts must plan and lead their troop in a service project. Both Sorrenti and Champagne created footbridges for the nature trails at Woodland Acres.
“Planning for the project began early last year, in the spring,” explained Sorrenti. “During COVID, me and my family hiked around Woodland Acres in some areas that could use a bridge.”
According to Ford, not only do the footbridges keep hikers feet dry from the streams, it also prevents erosion and “literally muddying the waters.”
The Scouts reached out to David McKinnon, land manager and trails coordinator at Essex County Greenbelt, who happily assisted with their projects.
“One of the invasive species of trees in the area is the black locust tree,” explained Ford. “(Essex Greenbelt) actually sent those trees to the saw mills and we used the wood to make the bridges.”
While Woodland Acres is currently the scene of a weeks-long brush fire, Forest Fire Warden Michael Frontierro said Thursday that both bridges are still intact as they are located outside the boundaries firefighters put up to stop the fire’s spread.
Merz’s project aimed to assist the Rockport Fire Department. Scouts went out to every fire hydrant in town, located the nearest telephone pole and spray painted on the telephone pole how many feet are between the two.
“In the winter, if we get a lot of snow and if the fire hydrant isn’t dug out, firefighters won’t be looking around for it,” explained Ford. “They can look at pole and see how far away it is. People noticed us spray painting and there were lots of questions. We got to talk to a lot of people about Scouting and what the boys and girls are doing.”
At Saturday’s ceremony, each of the new Eagle Scouts was able to give a mentor pin to those who they believed helped them the most to achieve the honor. Merz and Champagne chose their mothers and Sorrenti chose Patty Tucker, a former Scout master and current EMT in Rockport.
“It feels great, honestly,” said Sorrenti about being named an Eagle Scout. “I’ve been working to it since Cub Scouts — since first grade. When I first joined the Boy Scouts in sixth grade, I attended my first Eagle Courts of Honor. Seeing all the high schoolers, I thought, ‘That’ll be me one day.’”
Merz and Champagne did not respond to request for comments on this story.
Michael Cronin may be contacted at 978-675-2708, or mcronin@gloucestertimes.com.
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