Scouts Do a Good Turn for American Legion
Scouts and leaders of Unit 305’s Troop 305 worked together with the Girl Scouts of Troop 2771, epitomizing the universal Scouting slogan to “Do a Good Turn Daily,” by sorting more than 5,000 American flags for the American Legion Post 99 on Veteran’s Row in Kearny. On Tuesday night, October 16, 2018, four Boy Scouts and twelve Girl Scouts with their respective leaders toiled together to sort, separate, and remove wooden sticks from old or worn American flags to prepare them for a proper flag retirement ceremony in the future.
The Scouts completed about three-fourths of the project during the first volunteer session. They will meet again in November to complete the task. Plans for the official retirement of these flags will be announced once the details are finalized.
Keith McMillan, Post Commander of American Legion Post 99, donated copies of the booklet of The Constitution of the United States of America with the Declaration of Independence to the Scouts which they will reference in completing the Citizenship in the Nation merit badge, one of the required merit badges to obtain the rank of Eagle Scout. Anthony Hayes, Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 305, presented information about his Eagle Project to the Veterans at their monthly meeting which comprises constructing a fire ring for flag retirement ceremonies and other events on the lawn of St. Stephen’s Church.
Kearny's Troop/Pack 305 was organized in 1933 and continues to provide youth leadership training to boys and young men in Kearny, Harrison, East Newark, and surrounding towns as Unit 305. Boy Scout meetings (Grades 6 and up) are held on Thursday nights at 7 p.m. Cub Scout meetings (Kindergarten through Grade 5) are on Friday nights at 7 p.m. All Kearny Unit 305 Scouts meet in Hedges Hall in the lower level of St. Stephen's Church in Kearny. For more information or to join, contact them through the website www.KearnyScouts.com.
Troop 2771 meets weekly at the Girl Scout House in Kearny on Mondays from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.