Scouts Honored

The Holmdel Environmental Commission presented certificates of appreciation to Scout Troops #331 and #131 at the beginning of their regular meeting on May 18 in the main meeting room of Town Hall.

Chair Michael Nikolis began by thanking the scouts, ranging from 5th graders to seniors in high school, for their participation and hard work on behalf of preserving and protecting Holmdel's environment. The HEC is responsible for approving any scouting project that directly impacts the local environment.

Kevin Mahon of Scout Troop #131 and Jason McMullen of Scout Troop #331 have recently achieved the distinction of Eagle Scout, scouting's highest rank, and were commended for their leadership in projects that brought significant improvement and increased safety to trails in Holmdel's Ramanessin Brook Greenway.

“The trails are now safer and look so cleaned up and so neat,” began Nikolis as he commended the assembled scouts, “when can you do the rest of them?” he quipped.

Holmdel senior Kevin Mahon led his Troop #131 and other volunteers in a project to expand the Ramanessin Brook hiking trail at Holmdel's Cross Farm Park. Mahon was responsible for a 650-yard extension and mulching of the trail, marking trees along the trail with paint, clearing brush and fallen trees, and erecting hiking signs and trail information in a nearby kiosk for hikers, according to a prepared statement from the Holmdel Environmental Commission. From conceiving and researching the project, seeking official approval, overseeing volunteers, and putting in over 200 volunteer hours to bring it to fruition,   

“I'm ecstatic,” said Mahon on achieving Eagle Scout.“And I'm really happy to be here tonight.”

Mahon says he would encourage any young person to seriously consider scouting.

“There are a lot of opportunities to learn and meet new people, very nice people.”

Mahon plans to study computer science with a possible engineering minor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the fall. He wants to continue with scouting in a leadership role sometime in the future.

Jason McMullen, Holmdel High School junior and recent Eagle Scout from Troop #331 is the fourth sibling in his family to achieve this rank.

“It's a culmination of all the years of scouting,” he said of being an Eagle Scout. “It's reaching the peak and saying 'I did this'.”

“I feel honored that the Holmdel Environmental Commission is giving me a certificate,” he added.

For his Eagle Scout project, McMullen and his troop made safety improvements to the Ramanessin Trail entrance near Village School on McCampbell Road. According to the Holmdel Environmental Commission, part one of the project was to replace the railings on the aged and damaged foot bridge. Part two involved realigning and mulching a part of a chronically wet trail 20 feet away from wetland encroachment. You can .

Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso and Nikolis handed out certificates to the dozen or so scout attendees. Those who couldn't attend the ceremony will receive their certificates in the coming days.