Over the past few weeks, I've had the unique experience of spotting four eagles in Moravia, one in Cato and still another in Port Byron. All were flying high, but none were the type you'd expect to see at the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge.

All six were just getting their wings. They included CJ Bumpus from Troop 56 in Port Byron; Rees Rolland from Troop 50 in Cato, and Bill Gaston, Aaron Mix, Jace Prine and Joseph Campanella, all from Troop 55 in Moravia. The Methodist churches in Port Byron and Moravia and the Catholic Church in Cato were filled with family, friends, fellow Scouts, teachers, clergy and others.

When an Eagle Scout receives his Eagle Badge, he is also given an Eagle Pin to present to his Dad and one to present to his Mom to show his appreciation for all their support. Recently, a third recognition piece, a Mentor Pin, has been added. Each new Eagle gets to select one special person in his life who has been his mentor. It's been interesting and touching to observe who these scouts select: a grandfather, an older brother, a teacher, a military recruiter, a scoutmaster.

During 2006, our Class of Eagle Scouts included 11 outstanding young men in Boy Scout Troops from Red Creek to Moravia.

Zach Stadtmueller, Troop 57 Red Creek updated, reorganized and computerized files and cemetery maps for St. Thomas Catholic Church Cemetery in Red Creek; Adam Sweet, Troop 59 Weedsport cleaned up and landscaped around Lt. Adam Helmer's Grave on Cottle Road in Weedsport; Edward Rooker, Troop 59 repaired and replaced sidewalk, steps, landscaping and painted the sign at the Clark-Heck Post 568 American Legion in Weedsport; David Tersegno, Troop 21 Auburn cleaned up fallen trees and other material around Sucker Brook (a stream that empties into Owasco Lake) and also repaired a fallen bridge on the property; Kevin Rogers, Troop 21 removed debris and overgrown vegetation on the Auburn-Fleming portion of the Cayuga County Trail System and also replaced the decking on two bridges; Kevin Clark, Troop 21 repaired and refurbished the play area at the Gavras Center and built two new picnic tables for the area; Christopher Bumpus, Troop 56 Port Byron scrapped and repainted the fence around the basketball and tennis courts at the Memorial Park on Turnpike Road; Jason Olschewske, Troop 54 Cayuga organized a benefit dinner for Gregory Goodrow (a Cub Scout with a metabolic disorder from Pack 54); Patrick Turner, Troop 21 removed broken and weathered fencing at the Porter Family Cemetery in Owasco and replaced it with white vinyl fencing and also painted the archway entrance sign and removed and cleared debris from the site; Seth Molly, Troop 43 Auburn surveyed East and West Middle schools in Auburn and Moravia High School to collect information for the American Red Cross on the suitability of these sites as emergency shelters during a natural disaster or other emergency, and Kasey Pearsall, Troop 55 Moravia cleared out and replanted the area around the flag pole commemorating the birth place of Millard Fillmore in Moravia.

Don Grillo is scout executive for the Cayuga County Council, Boy Scouts of America located at 7235 Mutton Hill Road in Auburn.