Seaford Scout pair lead service projects

The road to Eagle Scout has many requirements, but none more significant than a community service project. Two Boy Scouts from Troop 239 in Seaford have recently been busy completing their projects.

Tyler Salvo, 16, is in the midst of constructing a ramp for the Seaford Historical Society’s museum on Waverly Avenue, while 17-year-old Matt Davison fixed up a butterfly garden at the Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center at Jones Beach.

Salvo followed in the footsteps of his older brothers, Zach and Danny, who also did projects for the Historical Society. Their father was friends with the late Bill Powell, a past vice president of the organization. Salvo said members of the Historical Society wanted the ramp built to make the museum handicapped accessible.

He started planning the project when he was 13, but said getting permits took a long time. In the fall, he began work by pouring the concrete footings, and over the last two weeks, Salvo and his volunteers were building the ramp.

The 47-foot, 6-inch wooden ramp replaces cinder block steps in the back of the building. Salvo had an architect draw up the plans so it would be up to code.

To fund his project, Salvo raised about $2,200. He hosted a breakfast fundraiser at Applebee’s, returned bottles and cans, and sold raffle tickets at Historical Society meetings.

Davison and his 30 volunteers were at Jones Beach on April 25 to update the butterfly garden in the middle of the parking lot. They replaced fencing, added plants that would attract butterflies and fixed up a seashell walkway.

The garden had been damaged by Superstorm Sandy, Davison said, and he wanted to spruce it up. “I thought it came out great,” he said. “It looks so much better than it did beforehand.”

Davison started planning his project in the fall, and estimated he spent about 100 hours preparing, whether it was drawing up plans, purchasing the materials or soliciting donations. He raised $2,000 for his project by collecting bottle and cans, and mailing letters to different organizations seeking donations. Davison and his crew spent eight hours at Jones Beach, and he made sure everyone had a task to complete.

“Everyone who came did a good amount of work,” he said. “When you get a lot of people who want to help out, you can make something that looks really nice.”

The Seaford High School senior has been in the Scouts for 11 years. He has helped out on numerous Eagle Scout projects before, but this time he was in charge. Davison must get two more merit badges and complete some paperwork before he can officially earn his Eagle rank, the highest honor in the Boy Scouts.

In the fall, he plans to attend Nassau Community College and is hoping to get a job at Jones Beach this summer.

Salvo, a junior at Seaford High School, joined the Cub Scouts when he was 4 years old. He must earn one more merit badge. By June, he hopes to have the paperwork for his project submitted, so he can appear before an Eagle Board of Review in the fall.

Helping out an organization in the community, Salvo said, is very rewarding. He noted that the museum has historical significance, as it was Seaford’s third schoolhouse, and then the firehouse before it was donated to the Historical Society.

“It’s part of Seaford’s past,” he said. “It’s part of the community.”

Historical Society President Charles Wroblewski thanked Salvo for his work in building the ramp. “It will give access to the building for individuals who are handicapped and help us with getting displays in and out,” he said.