Above: New Eagle Scouts, from left, Stephen Timperley, Jake Lehoullier, James Prior, William Ferguson, Tim Cure and Jake Shunney, with master of ceremonies Harrison Timperley and Troop 2 Leader Rob Coates. 

Six young men became official Troop 2 EG Eagle Scouts in a ceremony Sunday that combined pomp and pageantry along with a healthy dose of humor. Some of the six had been waiting for more than a year for this day – delayed by a certain global pandemic. But while such large groups are not typical for Troop 2, there was something special about being able to gather in a large group to celebrate the achievements of these scouts.

The scouts were Tim Cure, William Ferguson, Jake Lehoullier, James Prior, Jake Shunney and Stephen Timperley – Eagle Scouts 208 to 212 for Troop 2. They are also all members of the EGHS Class of 2022. Their Eagle projects were varied. Timperly restored two EG historic cemeteries. Lehoullier rebuilt and rehabilitated the mini-buildings used in the Safety Town program. Prior learned about invasive species in Rhode Island, then led a group through part of the North-South Trail in Foster to eradicate those plants. Ferguson ran a pet care drive, collecting hundreds of items and $1,200 in cash donations for the Heart of R.I. animal shelter in Cranston. Cure created a mile-long trail as part of the North-South Trail in Foster so that hikers could walk through an historic farm and avoid a busy street. Finally, Shunney built a sensory playground for the early intervention program at Meadowbrook Farms Elementary School.

The ceremony was held in the banquet room at the EG Veterans Fireman’s Hall, which was full of relatives, friends and fellow scouts, along with a few local dignitaries, including R.I. Sen. Bridget Valverde, Town Council President Mark Schwager, Town Manager Andy Nota and EGSD Supt. Alexis Meyer.

Longtime Troop 2 leader Jim Essex – now retired from that position – noted that while becoming an Eagle Scout is an important achievement, “it’s about what you become after you become an Eagle Scout.”

Each scout spoke briefly, captured in the videos below. Congratulations to all the new Eagle Scouts!