Matthew McGarva is Troop 97's newest Eagle

Boy Scout Troop 97 of Sussex-Wantage celebrated its newest Eagle Scout at a recent Eagle Court of Honor. Matthew Stewart McGarva received the Eagle Scout award, the highest honor in Scouting, which is a performance-based award achieved by about 5 percent of boys entering Scouting. Only 1.7 million Boy Scouts have earned the Eagle Scout rank since 1912. The Eagle Court of Honor spotlights Matt’s scouting achievements through each of the Boy Scout ranks on his path to Eagle. Boy Scouts have until their 18th birthday to earn the award and must complete a number of merit badges in citizenship, camping, first aid, personal fitness and other areas, and then complete a service project that helps the community and demonstrates leadership. Matt’s Boy Scout career began when he was in first-grade, when he entered Tiger Cubs with Pack 97 of Sussex-Wantage. He advanced through the ranks, achieving the highest rank of Webelo at 11, and earning the Arrow of Light award. He then bridged into Boy Scouts Troop 97, where he has held numerous positions of leadership, including Quartermaster, Scribe, Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. He has attended summer camp almost every year and participated in the troop’s infamous High Adventure trip to the Florida Keys during 2005, when the boys and leaders got a little more “high adventure” than was expected. They had to be rescued from a barrier island off the coast as Hurricane Katrina passed overhead. In 2006 and 2007 Matt was selected to participate in the weeklong National Youth Leadership Training programs, one at a council camp and another at the National Scout Ranch, Philmont, in New Mexico. Also during the summer of 2007 he was a staff member at Camp Winnebago in Rockaway Township. During his Scouting career, Matt has earned 32 merit badges, nine more than required for Eagle status. Matt’s Eagle service project consisted of two phases. The first was the installation of American flags on each light post along Main Street, Sussex. To accomplish this Matt had to present his plan to the Borough Council, raise funds from local businesses to pay for the flags, and lead Troop 97 members and adult leaders in installing the flags on the flag poles. The second phase of the project was refurbishing two retired U.S. mailboxes so they could be used to collect worn American flags, which are collected by the local American Legion Post during its flag disposal ceremonies throughout the year. The Sussex American Legion Post, and in particular Herman Terpestra, were Matt’s sponsor for his project. The two mailboxes were in bad condition. They were rusted, dented and had twisted metal, all of which needed to be repaired before any further steps could be taken. Matt has an interest in welding and auto body work, and was able to clean up the boxes, using body putty in the rusted areas, and replacing metal areas too damaged to patch. Once the mailboxes were prepped, a Bergen County sandblasting company donated its time to blast the paint off the boxes and give them a primer coat. From the sandblaster the boxes were given to Art Frisbie of Airworx Airbrushing. Frisbie’s patriotic-themed paint jobs on the boxes brought them to a new level. While the painting was being done, Matt used the help of Boy Scouts and adult leaders to clear sites for the boxes, build a concrete form and pour the concrete pad and then landscape the areas after the boxes were installed. One is in front of the Sussex American Legion Post on Route 23 North and the other is at the Wantage branch of the Sussex County Library. The project required 242 hours of volunteered time from professional as well as community members. Matt is a junior and an honor roll student at High Point Regional High School. He is also taking welding classes through the Sussex Technical Adult School. By the time he graduates in 2009, he hopes to have earned five different certifications from the American Society of Welding. He is planning to go to college after graduation to study for an engineering career that would use his welding interest and the leadership skills he has learned through Scouting. He is currently a Junior Adult Scout Master with the Boy Scouts and plans to remain active in Troop 97 so that he can share with younger boys the positive experiences he has had through the years.