Scout soars to Eagle rank

BYRAM — Jeffrey D. Wiiken of Troop 276, Byram Township advanced to the rank of Eagle Scout at a Court of Honor held recently at Winnebago Scout Camp. His accomplishment was the culmination of years of scouting work and commitment and he was honored with a presentation by Byram Mayor Skip Danielson and letters of commendation from the President, Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, Governor Jon Corzine and many others. Jeff joined the Troop in 2004. Over the years he routinely attended summer camps at Camp Minsi in the Poconos where he earned many of his merit badges. He also participated in virtually every troop trip for over five years. He was elected to the Order of the Arrow and the Order of the Arrow Brotherhood, he participated in the National Youth Leadership training, and attended at the Scouting World Jamboree in England in 2007. He plans to attend the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts at the National Jamboree at Fort A. P. Hill in Virginia in 2010. Jeff has served Troop 276 as Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and Senior Patrol Leader and has been a mentor for younger scouts. His Eagle Scout Project included the demolition and rebuilding of the two Forest West signs at the entrance to his community. The project included re-landscaping the area around the signs and required over 350 hours of work led by Jeff and including a large group of volunteers. Jeff is beginning his junior year at Lenape Valley Regional High School and he is a member of Blessed Kateri Parish. He rode 25 miles in the October 2008 Bike MS program helping to raise $350 for multiple sclerosis victims. He also was a co-leader of Operation Holiday in which students helped collect packages for Lenape Valley alumni serving in the armed forces. He is a 2009 Varsity Letter holder in tennis at Lenape Valley as well as a team member in the Creative Design Challenge with the high school and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.