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Matthew Fajt earns Eagle Scout honor
An Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held Saturday, Sept. 26 to honor Matthew Fajt for reaching the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America.
Fajt, the son Jason and Beth Fajt, is a member of Greencastle Troop 99.
Fajt joined scouting as a first-grader and obtained the rank of Eagle his senior year of high school after acquiring both required and elective merit badges. The badges include experiences in Wilderness Survival, Emergency Preparedness, Citizenship, Community Service and Physical Fitness.
In an excerpt from Fajt's address to those in attendance at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor, he said, "Throughout my years of scouting, I have obtained several skills and applied those skills to projects, merit badges, and groups within scouting. Not only with my own Eagle Scout project, but also with others as well. I have been involved in many groups including patrols, Order of the Arrow, Firecrafter and den chief for my brother's Cub Scout den.
"But what I came to realize after working all those projects and being involved in all those groups is that I was doing something much more than earning a rank. The lessons and skills I learned through scouting became tools I will use for the rest of my life."
The Eagle Scout rank is obtained after leading a community service project. Fajt chose to build a landscape block fire pit lined with mortared firebrick for Camp Friend.
Camp Friend is located south of Greencastle on Manhattan Road and is owned and operated by the Putnam Friend of Youth Foundation Inc.
Fajt built the fire pit so other youth could enjoy the camaraderie, atmosphere and the spirit of camping that a campfire provides. Gathering around a large fire for skits, songs and stories are among the fond memories Fajt enjoyed during his years of scouting and he wanted that opportunity for youth who visit or stay the night at the camp.
Funding for the project was provided by friends and family. The firebrick was donated by Buzzi Unicem.
Fajt explained he learned the fire brick was being replaced in the kiln and asked if he could use it for his project. This helped him follow two principles of scouting, recycling and being thrifty.
Camp Friend is open to all Putnam County organizations with youth programs. For information about utilizing Camp Friend for youth camping and activities, persons may contact David Zeiner, president of Putnam Friend of Youth Foundation, at 721-1599.
For more information about the Boy Scouts of America Troop 99, contact Scoutmaster Tom Standers. Troop 99 meets at 6:30 p.m. Mondays at the First Christian Church, Greencastle.