Ashland’s Libby
to receive Eagle Scout award
ASHLAND NEWS
Andrew Libby, 17, son of Scott and Polly Libby of Ashland, will be honored at a special Eagle Scout Court of Honor celebration Sunday, April 11 at 2 p.m. The ceremony will take place at the Masardis Pentecostal Church, and all are welcome to attend!
ANDREW LIBBY, 17, of Ashland Boy Scout Troop 179, will make the rank of Eagle Scout April 11 at 2 p.m. in a ceremony taking place at the Masardis Pentecostal Church. All are welcome to attend.
Since he was 12 years old, Andrew knew he wanted to be an Eagle Scout, and has worked hard and dedicated himself to achieving this personal goal. Andrew has been a member of Troop 179, chartered to Ashland Rotary, for six years. He has served as troop patrol leader, senior patrol leader and quartermaster.
While a Boy Scout, he has attended Camp Roosevelt for three summers. Most recently, over this past summer, Andrew received the Commissioner’s Spirit of Scouting Award, which is an award presented to a “noteworthy individual who has performed exceptional and unusual service to young people in hard to reach communities.” While attending Camp Roosevelt, Scout Commissioners and staff, in addition to other members at camp, observe the Scouts in their daily activities and their overall personal demeanor. Being specifically aware of any Scout who may stand out according to the Scouting oath and laws, as well as their citizenship at camp, Andrew was nominated for this award and was chosen out of 400 boys!
When asked if there was something specific he may have done to earn the nomination and subsequent award, Andrew responded he was just “being himself.” Polly added, “They saw something in Andrew that shows from the inside out, which I think is so nice because that’s how he really is.”
Andrew is known to be a courteous, kind and polite young man … qualities to be admired that embody the Scouting spirit, as well as the human spirit.
To earn Scouting’s highest rank of Eagle Scout, a Scout has to earn at least 21 merit badges, serve as a leader in his troop and complete a major community service project. To date, Andrew has earned 26 merit badges! A few of his favorites include emergency preparedness, cycling and archery.
For his service project, Andrew led six Scouts and six adults in the building of 16 picnic tables at the Portage Lake Pavilion. The project took approximately one year to complete. The final days of the project were planned in conjunction with his father’s return from his deployment in Iraq to allow for his Dad’s help with the project. Within three days, the picnic tables were completed. The picnic tables were adorned with wood-burned memorials on their tops, by a local volunteer artisan, who Andrew recruited as part of the project. With his troop, he has also climbed Katahdin and canoed on the lakes of the Allagash, earning his 50-miler patch.
Andrew is a senior at Ashland Community High School. He is actively involved in his church, and enjoys reading and being creative. In his spare time, he enjoys playing video games and “relaxing.” Andrew plans to enlist in the United States military after graduation and would like to attend college with a concentration in the arts.
Andrew and his family would like to extend an invitation to family, friends and all in the community to attend his very special ceremony. Please join us as we celebrate our community’s newest Eagle Scout. Congratulations Andrew on reaching your goal and for receiving such a distinguished honor.
THE PICNIC TABLE PROJECT took about one year to complete, but was well worth the efforts. By completing the project, Andrew Libby will earn the rank of Eagle Scout and Portage Lake will enjoy the picnic tables for years!
The Ashland Area Senior Citizens group meets every Thursday at noon at the Ashland Recreational Center. Any senior citizens wishing to participate in the potluck lunches and meetings are always welcome to attend.
The Portage Lake Over 50’s Club lunch is held on the last Tuesday of every month at 11:30 a.m. at the Town Hall. All individuals 50 and over are invited to attend and can bring a potluck dish to share. For more information, contact Wilza Robertson at 435-6211 or Grace Nason at 435-6373.
The Red Hat Loonies of Portage Lake meet the second Thursday of every month at Dean’s Motor Lodge. Membership dues are $2. Come and have a great meal and a great time, too! For more information, contact Rachel Stevens at 435-635.
Monday Night Exercise will be held at the Portage Lake Town Hall at 6:30 p.m. every Monday. Participants can workout at their own pace/instruction. Tapes and equipment are available for your use. Contact the town hall with inquires.
Susan Feeney-Hopkins is the correspondent for Ashland, Portage Lake, Oxbow, Masardis, Garfield, Nashville Plantation and surrounding townships. She can be reached at 435-8232 or feenhop@aol.com.
