GENESEO – John Christie of Boy Scout Troop 4070 of Geneseo will receive his rank of Eagle Scout during an Eagle Court of Honor Ceremony at 4 p.m. June 13 at Long Point Park.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank available to youth in the Boy Scouts of America. John joins more than 2.6 million Scouts who have earned the rank since 1912.
Scouting Leadership and Career
John joined Troop 4070 in 2015 and has packed a lot of Scouting into six years, troop leaders said. He has served two years as the Senior Patrol Leader for the Geneseo Boy Scout Troop. This involved him leading a team of Scouts to plan troop meetings, training programs, service projects, and campouts.
John, son of Robert and Rebecca Christie of Geneseo, attended the International Scouting Jamboree in West Virginia in 2017. Attending the event required more than a year of fundraising, planning, physical training, gear testing, and advanced first aid. John met Scouts from across the globe and joined fellow Scouts as they worked on service projects, led training sessions, and enjoyed hiking, zip lines, and other high adventure challenges.
John and seven Scouts from Troop 4070 visited Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico in 2019. The Scouts hiked from camp to camp while carrying everything they needed on their backs in 60-pound packs. They participated in search and rescue training, mountain climbing, fly fishing, adobe brick making, gold prospecting, and completed a service project aimed at preventing the spread of forest fires.
In 1988, Troop 4070 Eagle Scout Shawn Thomson built the first major league dugout with Kiwanis donating materials. Eagle Scout Mike Love led the building of the announcer’s booth behind the major league home plate in 1998. Eagle Scout Ron Kosmider built the minor league dugouts in 2002. Troop 4070 painted all structures at the park in 2009.
“When I told people I was going to restore the dugouts at Highland Park for my Eagle project, so many people shared memories of their children and grandchildren playing baseball at Highland Park,” said Christie. “Most of our Scouts played in Little League at Highland Park, so we’re happy to give back to the league,” says Christie.
Christie’s project was to lead his fellow Scouts in the restoration of the four dugouts and the bleachers at Highland Park. The oldest dugout was taken down to its framing and rebuilt with new siding, roofing, trim boards, and paint. Another dugout received a new roof and fresh paint. The final dugout was repainted along with the bleachers. Thirteen Scout volunteers and eight community volunteers contributed 321 hours toward the renovation over 6 days in early August of 2020.
“We were all hoping for a 2020 Little League season in Geneseo. We had no idea that we would be playing with restored dugouts and bleachers. The Scouts completed their work at the perfect time,” said Chris O’Brien of Geneseo Little League Baseball. “Opening Day 2020 was Saturday, Aug. 22. The Scouts made it a very special day,” says O’Brien.
John attended Finger Lakes Community College in Victor and is transferring to Alfred State College to pursue a bachelor of architecture degree in the fall of 2021.
Boy Scouts of America Troop 4070 of Geneseo is affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America and has the Central Presbyterian Church of Geneseo as its sponsor. Troop 4070 was established in 1968 and is celebrating fifty-three years of service to Geneseo and Groveland in 2021.
Credit: Source link
