New Eagle Scouts Ryan Comstock and Jack Mango are Honored
Boy Scouts of America Troop 1 Lewisboro held a Court of Honor on January 4th to celebrate two new Eagle Scouts: Ryan Comstock and Jack Mango, both of South Salem. They were the 101st and 102nd Troop 1 Scouts to achieve the top rank since the Troop’s first Eagle Scout in 1953. Nationally, only about 5% of Boy Scouts advance to the rank of Eagle Scout.
The ceremony was held at the South Salem Presbyterian Church, where Troop 1 regularly meets. Guest speakers included George Latimer, Westchester County Executive ; Kitley Covill, Westchester County Legislator, Maureen Koehl, Lewisboro Town Historian; and Jay Singer, Leading Knight Mid-Westchester Elks Lodge #535. Troop 1 Senior Patrol Leader, Clayton Hadlock, served as Master of Ceremonies, along with Scoutmaster Peter Hadlock and Assistant Scoutmaster Larry Mango.
Ryan Comstock served as a Senior Patrol Leader and Troop Guide during his years with Troop 1. He graduated from John Jay High School in the class of 2019 and is currently a freshman attending James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Ryan served his community for 12 years while in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, volunteering at many town events, and participating as a three season Varsity athlete at John Jay High School. He is also a Volunteer Firefighter and was Junior Firefighter of the Year in 2018 with the South Salem Fire Department.
Ryan’s Eagle service project beneficiary is the Lewisboro Parks and Recreation Department. He designed and constructed a Gaga pit at Lewisboro Town Park. A Gaga pit is a wooden structure in the shape of an octagon that is 3 feet tall with each side being 8 feet long. Gaga is a very popular game that kids of all ages can play that can only be played in this type of pit. The children in the community benefit from having access to this game as well as Lewisboro Day Camp. Over the summer, the Gaga pit was well used and appreciated by campers and children who visited the Town Park.
Ryan Comstock said, “I thought of the idea of a Gaga pit and immediately shared it with the Lewisboro Parks and Recreation Department. After fully explaining the game and the structure that needed to be built, the Board was in support. The planning process was rigorous, but I enjoyed it, as well as the satisfaction of seeing the results of the troops’ work. I am very happy I could share this with the children of our community.”
Jack Mango is 18 years old and has been active in Scouting for 12 years. He attends John Jay High School, where he is on the honor roll, in the National Honor Society, and is active in many activities including Varsity Track and Cross Country. He has enjoyed camping, backpacking and hiking with the Troop since his first campout at Onatru Farm in 2011. His favorite Scout outing was a backpacking overnight through the Devil’s Pass in the Shawangunk Mountains. At Camp Read, where he attended summer camp, he fondly recalls winning three BOSS (Best of Scouting Skills) awards with his Troop. Over the years he has held various leadership positions in the Troop including Librarian, Webmaster, Quartermaster, and Troop Guide. For his Eagle Scout Service project, he created a system of wayfinding and informational kiosks for the trail system within Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. As he is often running there with the JJHS Cross Country team, he was inspired to work on a project in WPR. He worked closely with the Park Supervisor and the Town Historian on the project and thanks his friends and fellow Scouts for their assistance in completing the project.Jack Mango said, "I designed nine informational wayfinding signs for my project in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. One of the largest in Westchester County, the park is rich with history dating back centuries and is often the destination for hikers from all around. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find most of the park’s history outside of books and articles. I designed my signs to inform visitors about some of the most popular sites, such as the Leatherman’s Cave, Boutonville Oak, and Old Mill Site. Over the workdays, we built the signs and installed them on 9 miles of trails throughout the park. I’m very thankful for all those who helped me through the process — I couldn’t have done it without all of you.”
Left to right: Jack Mango, Ryan Comstock — Photo by Paul Mango.