MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ — During the Mountainside Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15, Jack Sandholm of Mountainside Boy Scout Troop 177 was presented with a proclamation recognizing his attainment of the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Scouting.
Councilman Steven Matejek read the proclamation presented to Sandholm during the meeting.
“Whereas Scouting is a movement that challenges, inspires and guides young people toward high achievements and high values as expressed in the Scout oath, law, motto and slogan; and whereas Eagle is the highest rank in Boy Scouting and requires mastery of difficult challenges in diverse areas,” Matejek read during the meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
Matejek then stated that becoming an Eagle Scout, something only a minority of Scouts achieve, requires demonstration of good character and community service, and that Sandholm had demonstrated a special commitment to the Boys Scouts and had worked with great diligence to complete the requirements for the rank of Eagle.
Among Sandholm’s accomplishments, the councilman mentioned a community service project, for which he raised money through GoFundMe to construct two picnic tables for the Mountainside Elks. Matejek also said that, in addition to earning 38 merit badges, Sandholm had camped for 63 nights, hiked 84 miles and performed 113 hours of community service. Matejek said the new Eagle Scout had also served in leadership positions, including quartermaster, patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader and junior assistant Scoutmaster.
“Now, therefore, be it resolved by the mayor and council of the borough of Mountainside, that they do hereby congratulate Jack Sandholm on attaining the rank of Eagle Scout,” concluded Matejek.
After accepting his proclamation, Sandholm thanked those who guided him toward this moment.
“First, I’d like to thank my family for pushing me through all the way. I probably wouldn’t have even joined Boy Scouts without them,” Sandholm said during the meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15. “I’d like to thank (Scoutmaster Jeff) Healy, all of the older Scouts who were with me, all of the younger Scouts pushing me all the way. They’re just a great community. Some of them have become my best friends through this, and, honestly, it’s great to be a Boy Scout with them. I’d like to thank the community, because Boy Scouting is nothing without a community, and it’s really awesome that this is the community I was a Boy Scout in. Thank you.”