Church gets long-awaited flagpole

Drivers passing by the Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Wantagh Avenue likely have noticed the sign with the witty messages. What they haven’t noticed is the American flag. Until now.

A local Boy Scout has solved that problem, as he installed a flagpole for the church earlier this month. Stephen Vaiano, 15, of Troop 96, dedicated the new pole at a ceremony on June 14 — appropriately Flag Day.

Vaiano is working toward his Eagle rank, the highest honor in Boy Scouts, and must complete a community service project. In April, he led a clean-up of the church grounds to get it spruced up for Easter, and the second part of his project was the installation of a flagpole and concrete base.

On June 13, he and about 25 volunteers made the base. They dug the hole, poured the concrete, and installed bricks around it. Also included in the design are the four points on the compass, oriented to magnetic north. The following morning, they put up the fiberglass pole, and then raised the flag for the first time shortly before noon.

“I feel it came out great,” Vaiano said. “A lot of work went into it.”

He raised about $1,300 for his project, nearly half of which went toward the purchase of the pole. Vaiano also received donations of various materials and supplies.

At the ceremony, Vaiano was joined by fellow scouts, troop leaders and dozens of congregants from the church. Fellow Scouts Mike Fillizola, Freddy Parola and Ryan Krieger raised the flag as Ben Schablin played “Reveille” on the bugle.

Charles Jackson, president of the church’s Board of Trustees, said the flagpole is a welcome addition to the property. “It’s gorgeous,” he said. “It’s something we’ve talked about for quite a while but it’s never happened.”

Jackson said he is grateful to Vaiano, his parents and all the volunteers. He noted that scouts from Troop 96, which is sponsored by the church, have completed many projects there over the years.

Margaret Silberger, a member of the Board of Trustees, said the additional of the flagpole fulfills a need for both the church and the community, and hopes it will serve as a point of reference. She added that it is “just tall enough.”

“I think it looks terrific,” Silberger said. “There are so many things about it that are wonderful.”

She also noted the leadership that Vaiano showed throughout the process as he worked with church leaders to plan the project.

Troop 96 Scoutmaster Paul Roach said the inclusion of the compass points are a true mark that the flagpole and base were installed by a Boy Scout.

“This is about as good a caliber project as you’re going to find,” he said. “This thing will stand for decades as a constant reminder of the bond between the troop, this church and this community.”

For Vaiano, who just finished his freshman year at Wantagh High School, he must complete some paperwork, but otherwise his Eagle requirements are done. He has earned 76 merit badges, far exceeding the 21 that are needed, and ultimately hopes to get 100.

This summer, he will spend a week at camp at the upstate Onteora Scout Reservation. With Venture Crew 130, he will take a canoe trek in the Adirondacks, and also plans to attend the Order of the Arrow conference at Michigan State University.