Boy Scout Troop 343 Holds Court of Honor and 50 Year Anniversary Reunion

Boy Scout Troop 343 Holds Court of Honor and 50 Year Anniversary Reunion

By Phyllis  Stein

A special Court of Honor which recognized 50 continuous years of service to the youth of the Hauppauge area was held by Boy Scout Troop 343 on June 3 in St. Thomas More R.C. Church (Hauppauge)’s Community Room. The gathering recognized not only the current Boy Scouts but was also an opportunity to showcase their skills to those who had preceded in this Boy Scout Troop’s history as the scouts had created a projected slide show of historical troop photos and listing/photos of the 104 Eagle Scout Community service projects.

Said current Scoutmaster Guy DiSilvio, “Over 100 scouting families past and present joined us to celebrate the history and people of our Troop. We recognized several 

Current and past volunteer scouting leaders (with Committee Chairs, Scoutmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters, and Committee Members) at the Boy Scout Troop 343 (Hauppauge)’s 50th Anniversary Reunion (Troop 343 – group 3.jpg) – Pam Linden photoIndividuals who throughout the years have been there for the Troop and more importantly our Scouts. Appreciation Awards were given to Troop 343’s Assistant Scoutmaster Phyllis Stein, Troop 343 Advancement Chair Stan Lamberg, Troop 343 Committee Member and Anniversary Gathering Committee Chair Donna Sparacino, Matinecock District Unit Commissioner/ Assistant Scoutmaster Paul Merget, and Joe Beltrani, our Organizational Representative for more than 40 years.  The event had an Eagle Scout Rededication, food, skits performed by the current patrols of scouts, and tables on tables of Troop memorabilia, a special Troop 343 (BSA) 50^th Anniversary commemorative patch for the scouts and alumni, and most of all a good time was had by all”

A series of “down memory lane” tables had been set up, with photos, photo albums, a patch blanket, the original hand-embroidered Troop 343 neckerchief, along with copies of letters and e-mails from all of that had responded, filling in the gaps of what the past scouts and adult scouting volunteers up to and their fondest memories of being in the troop. The scouts who had been in Troop 343 as youths are now teachers, doctors, accountants and businessmen, police and fire fighters, members of the military (including those on active duty and in the NASA space program).  Also on display were also books with the letters of congratulations from dignitaries, and these will be presented to the troop historian to bring back to the 55^th reunion for all to view once again. In recognition of Troop 343’s anniversary year and the dedication of the youth members, Suffolk County Legislators John Kennedy and Tom Cilmi presented proclamations to the Troop.  

One of the highlights of the evening during the Boy Scout Troop 343 (Hauppauge)’s 50th Anniversary Reunion included presentation by George Smith, District Commissioner of the Matinecock District (BSA) with the Matinecock District’s Spark Plug Awards to Assistant Scoutmaster Sal Sr. Sparacino and Committee Member Donna Sparacino for their dedication and devoted volunteer work on behalf of the scouts in Troop 343 over a decade of service. Highlights of the evening included presentation by George Smith, District Commissioner of the Matinecock District (BSA) with the Matinecock District’s Spark Plug Awards to Assistant Scoutmaster Sal Sr. Sparacino and Committee Member Donna Sparacino for their dedication and devoted volunteer work on behalf of the scouts in Troop 343 over a decade of service.  There was also a slideshow of 50 years of photos of Troop 343 events and Boy Scouts on camping trips, working on community service and Eagle Scout projects, and at troop meetings as well as funds that were raised for a Boy Scout College Scholarship for a graduating member of Troop 343. 

At the 45^th reunion (held in 2013), there were 17 of the then-86 Eagle Scouts in the troop At the 2018’s 50^th anniversary reunion of Troop 343’s continuous service the Hauppauge community, 38 of the 104 Eagle Scouts who were able to join us (including Eagle Scout #1), took the time to speak to the audience of scouts and their family members about their memories and experiences in scouting with this Hauppauge Boy Scout Troop during the afternoon and dinner time.  Eagle Scout Robert Borowski, the troop’s first to reach the rank of Eagle Scout in 1972, spoke for all the Eagles to the current troop members, charging them to enjoy and learn in the scouting program, to make the most of their time in the troop and in all their scouting experiences, “where you will find that this is where the best friendships and memories of your youth are made.” Flanked by the Troop 343 Eagle Scout Plaques, with all their names engraved on brass plates with the date they had earned their Eagle Scout Rank, Troop 343’s Eagle Scouts lined up and participated in the special Eagle Scout Rededication Ceremony — which is a part of every Eagle Court of Honor. Eagle Scout #104 will have his Eagle Court of Honor in October, 2018 and the 37 previous Eagles hope to attend this celebration.

A Gathering of Eagles — 38 of the troop’s 104 Eagle Scouts were able to join Troop 343 at the 50th reunion celebration. Flanked by the Troop 343 Eagle Scout Plaques (with all their names engraved on brass plates with the date they had earned their Eagle Scout Rank), and coming from as close as Hauppauge to as far away as California, Troop 343’s Eagle Scouts lined up and participated in the special Eagle Scout Rededication Ceremony — which is a part of every Eagle Court of Honor. (jpg 0955)During the evening’s celebrations and reunions, one of the previous troop members observed how “some things never change” as the current crop of scouts cleaned up the church’s community room, following the dinner.  Said previous Scoutmaster Norman Andina, “The best part of this reunion weekend’s gathering has been the interactions and discussions and sharing of ideas between the all of the  scouts — the current youths and the “older members” who had been active in the 1970’s and 1980’s and 1990’s — and all of the comments on how scouting with Boy Scout Troop 343 of Hauppauge has made (and is still making) a difference in their lives today, that they are still  being involved in Troop 343’s history and in continuing this fine heritage as we head into the future with the “current crop” of Boy Scouts.”