CLOSTER, N.J.—Residents David Darlington, Connor Goranson and Thomas Reilly have attained the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement for a member of the Boy Scouts of America.
The award was conferred by BSA Troop 63’s Scoutmaster Andrew Goranson at a Court of Honor held on Jan. 4. David was also awarded Bronze Eagle Palms, and Connor was awarded Silver Eagle Palms.
David’s project was sending care packages to overseas troops in Afghanistan. He raised funds by selling wristbands and pins and collected the necessary goods at the Foodtown store in Old Tappan. Shoppers made donations, items such as toothpaste, sunscreen, baby wipes and snacks, etc. He also went to Hillside Elementary and asked third-graders to write letters of thanks, so each box included a personal letter. He was able to send over 150 individual boxes. David was inspired by the Operation Shoebox Organization, which came to visit his elementary school many years ago. He remembered packing boxes for troops and writing his own letter as a little boy.
For his project, Connor led a team of scouts in building a pergola with a patio, storage benches and planter boxes at the Mac Bain Farm in Closter. The farm belongs to all the residents of Closter who are welcome to pick many kinds of vegetables for free.
“I’ve enjoyed going to the farm since I was little, so I knew this was where I wanted to do my service project,” says Connor. The pergola is at the entrance of the farm and it is a great place for volunteers and visitors to sit in the shade.
Thomas’s Eagle Project was to build an announcement booth for the George Potterton Little League Field in Closter. The announcement booth is located behind the backstop of the ball field, where announcers can see the action from above. Thomas chose to take on this project because he grew up spending the spring and summer seasons playing Little League baseball at this field and he wanted to give back to young aspiring athletes in town.
David, Connor and David grew up together in scouting starting in Closter Pack 20 where they all earned their Arrow of Light, the highest award in Cub Scouts. They are Troop 63’s 86th, 87th and 88th Eagle Scouts since the troop was formed in 1917.
David is a freshman at The School of Visual Arts in New York and is pursuing his BFA in film. Connor is a senior at NVD High School and will attend the University of Scranton in the fall to study biology and go on to dental school. Thomas is a freshman at Hamilton College and pursuing a degree in Economics and Public Policy.
Only one out every 20 Scouts attains the rank of Eagle, and those who do set an example for other Scouts and have an excellent track record of becoming leaders throughout their lives. They are highly represented in the military, service academies, higher education and academia, and in business, politics, and the clergy. Famous Eagle Scouts include astronauts Neil Armstrong and James Lovell, Olympians Willie Banks and Steve Holcomb, and former U.S. President Gerald Ford.