Though most of the Scouts of Unit 305 in Kearny were born after 2001, they remember the sacrifice of the first responders and victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. To pay tribute and to honor their service, Scouts and their families participated in an urban hike to tour the 9/11 Memorial and Museum on March 25.
The Scouts met in the morning on the lawn of St. Stephen’s Church in Kearny, in front of the church’s 9/11 memorial, a metal cross crafted from the steel supports of one of the Twin Towers.
The Rev. Joseph A. Mancini, pastor and sponsor of Unit 305, prayed with the Scouts in front of the memorial to the seven parishioners who died Sept. 11, 2001.
Boy Scouts walked three miles from the church the Harrison PATH station where they met younger Cub Scouts and families. The unit visited St. Paul’s Chapel, where firefighters would seek refuge in-between rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero.
The Scouts also visited with FDNY firefighters of Ten House, Engine Company 10 and Ladder Company 10, whose headquarters is near the new World Trade Center site and 9/11 Memorial.
The Scouts toured the station, climbed aboard a fire engine, tried on equipment and learned about the training and responsibilities of first responders on 9/11 and every day in a large urban area.
After lunch and quiet reflection on the grounds of the 9/11 Memorial where twin permanent fountains pay tribute to the nearly 3,000 victims of the terrorist attack and 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Scouts toured the 9/11 Museum.
Signs of healing and optimism were evident in the National Tribute Quilt and the Survivor Tree. The Scouts added their own tribute at the end of the museum tour on an interactive media board. They wrote:“As Scouts, we are told to be men for others. In memory of those who died. Unit 305.”
The hike was the brainchild of Scoutmaster John Reverendo, who designed and planned the more than seven-mile urban hike. This excursion is just one of many unique outings planned by the current leadership of Unit 305 as part of advanced adult training offered through a program called “Wood Badge.”
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.