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04-19-09
Mt. Vernon Boy Scout beautifies local park in quest to become Eagle Scout
    Adrian Awoonor-Renner is a candidate for Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, the highest ranking a Boy Scout can attain.  As part of fulfilling the requirements for achieving the Eagle level in Scouting, he is required to complete a community based service program. After consulting with his parents, he decided to engage in the cleanup and re-establishment of a neglected and heavily littered walking path along a stretch of the Hutchinson River Parkway, not far from his home in Mount Vernon. Adrian appropriately named the project "Reclaiming a Green Space."
     With the help of his father, Awoonor-Renner, Scout Master of Troop 40 in Mount Vernon, along with fellow Troop 40 Boy Scouts, friends, relatives and neighbors, Adrian commenced the ambitious and lengthy project in March of this year, finalizing the transformation on Sunday, April 19.
     The neglected walking path, considered by many within the community as a neighborhood park, has been a community eyesore as far back as Adrian can remember. When Adrian was told he needed to complete a community based service program in order to ascend from Life Scout to Eagle Scout, the blighted walking path quickly came to mind.
     The area is approximately the size of an acre of land or more, an was virtually impenetrable due to over grown weeds, fallen large trees and scattered debris.
     Thanks to Adrian's effort, and his small army of helpers, the area has been transformed into a picturesque park-like setting, with downed trees strategically placed as barriers to alter the flow of rain water during stormy weather along the steep terrain.
     The beautification and enhancement of said area was closely supported and followed by community residents, many lending a hand and others observing the progress from street level.
     "We need more kids to become Boys Scouts in Mount Vernon so they can get involved in this type of rewarding community service. It's a great way for them to keep busy and stay out of trouble," said one senior observer.
      "In today's society there are many distractions, and these kids are not looked at as being "cool" by their peers. I think that if what Boys Scouts actually do is more heavily publicized by the media and others, more youngsters would seek to become Scouts," said Awoonor-Renner.
     The area that has been beautified by Adrian and his helpers is located on Hutchinson and Fifth Street, off of Third Street. And for those interested in contacting Troop 40 in Mount Vernon, please call the Scout Master, Awoonor-Renner, at (914) 490-0836.

A Boys Scouts sign at the site of the project