NEW BERLIN – During the Troop 61 “Voice of the Eagle Ceremony”, Saturday, March 3, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Calvin Rifanburg, 17, was awarded the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

Requirements for attaining this rank include earning at least twenty-on merit badges, demonstrating Scout Spirit through the Scout Oath and Law, as well as service and leadership. This includes an extensive project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads and manages. Calvin’s project was the renovation of the New Berlin Rotary Pavilion at Fish Field, begun once approval was gained from the then Village Mayor, Carol Riley, that included more than fifty-five hours plus the help of many local people and businesses over a three-year period.

Requirements indicate such a project must benefit an organization other than the BSA, but cannot be performed for an individual or a business, cannot be solely a fund-raising project and cannot be a commercial effort.

To accomplish this project Calvin solicited the help of friends and relatives to help with the construction aspects of the renovation that included the building of a new counter and requirements of the village for reinforcement. Calvin gained the support of local businesses including more than $1500 in materials from Curtis Lumber, thanks to John Sheldon. Businesses and organizations in the community sponsored the provisioning of paint, supplies and ten new picnic tables for the area through donations made by The American Legion - Frank H. Arnold Post Number 348, Curtis Lumber, Masonic Temple, New Berlin Rotary, New York Pizzeria, Perfect Solutions Florist, Preferred Mutual Insurance Company, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Upper Susquehanna Water Shed Association and Wideman Stables.