Friends, families and fellow scouts gathered for an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Brandon Kutz, son of Craig and Tina Kutz, of Hamburg, on May 17. The occasion included a review of Kutz’s qualifications to achieve the rank, the reading of poems by guests, and comments and letters from local and national leaders. Standing before an audience including past 184 Eagle Scouts, Kutz took the Eagle Scout Oath.
The ceremony was held at Salem E.C. Church, Lenhartsville, Kutz’s home church and the site of his Eagle Scout project – constructing a playground on the property. Kutz said the Idea for his project was a group effort.
“I talked to Pastor Dave [Long] first to see if there were any projects I could do at the church that would be used by people,” he recalled, and they discussed ideas for a pavilion before settling on the suggestion of a playground.
Kutz had to plan for the project and lead volunteers in building it.
“It was a little time consuming,” Kutz said. “I had to figure out what supplies were needed and what my costs would be.”
This included excavating the area, laying mulch and installing slides, swings and other equipment. He fenced in the area to make it a safer for children, and also fenced off nearby air-conditioner units.
Creating blueprints, predicting man-hours and gathering volunteers were a part of the process. He had to raise funds and stay on budget. Kutz learned through his scoutmaster’s wife about used playground equipment available in Lenhartsville Borough, and asked different individuals to assist in giving the metal items a painted “facelift.”
About 15-20 people helped with actual build, including the church’s pastor, David Long.
“I enjoyed watching Brandon put his playground plans together,” Long said, “and bringing the project to completion. The children at church really enjoy their time playing out there.”
“Brandon’s been an asset to our church and I appreciate his work and effort,” he added.
Kutz is glad youngsters enjoy playing in the playground at different church events and social functions. He is also happy to reflect on all he’s gained from his years as a scout, including a short time in Pack 120 and the duration as a member of Pack and Troop 184.
“I would say that I learned a lot in scouting, a whole bunch of different skills I might not have learned [otherwise],” he said. “I met a whole bunch of people and got to reach out to the community through community services.”
Some of his favorite scouting memories?
“Going to summer camp and all of our troop campouts at the cabin and pine grove,” he said. “One of my favorite trips was to the National Scouting Jamboree on the 100th anniversary of boy scouts at Ft AP Hill in VA.”
He also enjoyed learning skills like rock climbing, fire building and survival skills in the process of earning 27 merit badges.
Kutz served as his troop’s Quarter Master, Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader and is currently a Junior Assistant Scout Master. He was elected to the Order of the Arrow and completed his Eagle Board of Review in December 2014.
A junior at Hamburg Area High School, Kutz is already planning for a future, including studying agriculture and diesel mechanics at the University of Northwestern Ohio and working as an oil rig mechanic in the Midwestern United States.
He noted he would have never made it so far without the help of many. He honored three such individuals during his Eagle ceremony with mentor’s pins: his father, Craig; scoutmaster, Dennis Miller; and fellow scout leader “Big John” Schultz.
“We’re proud of him,” Miller said during the reception after Kutz’s ceremony. “We saw him grow up and look where he is today! He’s going to go far. Brandon amplifies what an Eagle Scout is and he’s earned it.”
Kutz is the 100th scout from Pack 184, Hamburg, to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, an honor achieved by approximately four in every 100 scouts nationwide. His troop will next gather to honor their 101st Eagle Scout, J.J. Schultz.
