14-Year-Old Eagle Scout Following In Family Footsteps

BRIARCLIFF MANOR, NY — A teen who as a child joined his grandfather and father to help pack fruit baskets with the Pleasantville Lions Club and deliver them to the Rosary Hill Home for the terminally ill, Paul Creegan has become one of the village's youngest Eagle Scouts.

When the Lions Club could not because of the coronavirus pandemic, Creegan, 14, stepped in. And he made the annual baskets his Eagle Scout project.

A student at Fordham Preparatory School, he funded the project with money from his own savings, solicited donations from family and friends, and enlisted them plus members of Troop 18 to do the packing on a cold winter's day in February. SEE: Scouts Brave Cold, Coronavirus For 'A Gift From The Heart'

His Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held Sept. 26. It had a lot of special parts to it, said his mother, Patreece Creegan.

For one thing, his program was patterned on the program that his father Patrick Creegan used in 1984 when he became an Eagle Scout. In that program, Patrick's uncle, Frank Bauer (himself an Eagle Scout in 1963) had lit the Scout candles during the ceremony.

At Creegan's Court of Honor, he read the Scout Law while his father and his great-uncle lit the candles.

At his Court of Honor Creegan received his Eagle Scout badge and pin as well as three extra Eagle Palms (one for each additional five merit badges above and beyond those required to make Eagle). A Scout needs 21 badges to become an Eagle - Paul earned 36.

He received Proclamations from NY State Senator Peter Harchkam; NY Assemblyman Tom Abinanti; Westchester Legislator Margaret Cunzio and Mount Pleasant Town Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi. Legislator Margaret Cunzio ruled that Sept. 27 was Paul Francis Creegan Day in Westchester County. Also, Mayor Steven Vescio named Sept. 27 Paul Francis Creegan Day in Briarcliff Manor.

Paul received more than 30 letters of commendation/congratulatory letters. These included letters from Pope Francis, former Presidents, many of the military institutions, Nintendo, Ford Motor Company, etc. Along with these letters, Paul received three flags — one from the State of New York (with a letter from Kathy Hochul); one from the State of Texas (with a letter from Greg Abbott) and an American flag that flew over the Pentagon.

His name was even on the Jumbotron in front of the Westchester County Center. It was an exciting day.