Community Corner

PHOTOS: Local Cubs Cross Bridge to Boy Scouts

Local Pack 240 moves up in the ranks during a special ceremony in front of family and fellow scouts.

They started as tigers and became wolves and bears and then webelos, but nine boys from local Pack 240 saw their four-and-a-half-year journey as Cub Scouts come to an end this Saturday.

Before family, friends, fellow scouts and leaders, one-by-one they crossed over a bridge to begin a new chapter in their young lives. Fifth graders Philip Ronen, Christopher Manuel, Andrew Poppe, Gregory Martin, Matthew Siegelson, Gabriel Valle, Mark Liebl, Nicholas Avila and Ryan De Cristoforo, are now the newest members of Boy Scout Troop 240.

They officially moved up in ranks, leaving behind Pack 240, during an elaborate ceremony held on Feb. 5 at Villa Umberto in Elmont. They were each presented with the Arrow of Light badge, as well as citations from Nassau County Leg. Vincent Muscarella (R-West Hempstead). The highlight of the program was when the Order of the Arrow, a group of older scouts clad in Native American costumes, came marching into the dining hall to the beat of a drum. They led the nine Webelos through a special ceremony, which culminated with them being led across a small wooden bridge along with their parents.

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Once on the other side, they were greeted by some of their new troop leaders and scouts, including Senior Patrol Leader Mark DeFilippis, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader Sam Port, T.J. Andree and Christian Valle, an older brother of one of the new members. Using the Boy Scouts handshake - not be confused with the Cub Scouts one, which only uses two fingers, they were properly welcomed into their new troop.

PHOTOS: Take a look at our extensive collection of photos from the ceremony and share some of the shots you snapped of the event here too!

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