Kids & Family

Six Scouting Projects That Made A Difference in 2013

East Meadow scouts take on projects that not only earn an award or special ranking but make a difference in the community.

Here are six notable projects that made a difference in 2013:

Constructing a Rain Garden: East Meadow Girl Scout Troop 1169 held a lemonade stand Aug. 31 to raise funds to build a rain garden at Parkway School. The project will help the girls earn their Bronze Award. Read more about how much money the girls raised in our Top News section.

Donating Artwork to NUMC: Budding artists Cassandra Nikiel and Nichole Pupo, both Girl Scouts with Troop 1404 in East Meadow, donated 32 works of art to the pediatric unit at Nassau University Medical Center. The project will help the scouts earn their Silver Award, the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn.

Building Bat Houses: To attain the rank of Eagle Scout, East Meadow Boy Scout Christopher Sommella, along with fellow troop members and local volunteers, constructed five bat houses and installed them in Veterans Memorial Park in East Meadow. After losing a neighbor a few years ago to West Nile Virus, Sommella constructed the bat houses to help combat the mosquito population at the community park and pool.

Helping First Responders: To attain the rank of Eagle Scout, East Meadow Boy Scout Collin Skinner spearheaded the "Vial for Life" program for the Levittown senior center and local PTAs. The program helps first responders to know a patient's pertinent medical information when responding to an emergency. The vital information is stored in a Ziploc bag with stickers and placed on the doors and windows of a home.

Beautifying a Church: To attain the rank of Eagle Scout, East Meadow Boy Scout Christopher Herlihy built a 20 foot long and 6 foot high cinderblock retaining wall at St. Bridget’s Church in Westbury for his Eagle Scout project. He also leveled the grounds surrounding the church with compost.

Restoring a Hiking Trail: Thomas Loberto, of Troop 2830 in East Meadow, restored and re-routed a four-mile hiking trail in Stillwell Woods Preserve that became impassable since Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy hit.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here