On March 11, Fairfax County’s Troop 160 awarded Ryan Tully of Chantilly the rank of Eagle Scout. He is the 200th Scout to reach the rank of Eagle Scout in the Troop’s 34-year history.
The event was held at the Troop’s regular weekly meeting at Franklin Middle School in Chantilly, VA. The Troop has been sponsored by the Franklin Middle School PTA sine 1986. Currently, Troop 160 has 104 Scouts and is 1 of 652 Boy Scout Troops in the National Capital Area Council.
“We don’t know how many other Troops in the National Capital Area or across the country have reached the milestone of 200 Eagle scouts, but it’s not a lot,” says John Wolsborn, Troop 160 Committee Chair and adult leader. “We spend a great deal of time on both fun and high adventure activities. But we’re always focused on achievement in the Troop. We try to do all we can to help scouts become Eagles. We’re equally proud of Ryan and the 199 scouts who came before him.”
To commemorate this milestone, Troop 160’s first Eagle Scout, Chip Free, attended the event and spoke to attendees about his experiences as a member of the Troop and earning the rank of Eagle. Free earned his Eagle Scout award in 1987 and is now a Scoutmaster of Troop 503 in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Free says “I was honored to participate in Ryan’s Eagle review and ceremony. It was great to see how active and robust the troop is, as they continue to guide boys on the path to becoming Eagle Scouts.”
Also in attendance were a large number of current and former Scoutmasters, as well as a number of other Eagle Scout alumni.
Over 34 years, Troop 160 Scouts have led a wide variety of Eagle project efforts, including: construction/building projects for numerous area schools, churches and other community organizations; food, blood and other drives for food banks, homeless shelters; as well as other types of community service projects. Tully’s Eagle Scout project in 2019 was building a long wooden walkway through marshland for the Bluebell Trail at Manassas Regional Park. Free’s Eagle project in 1987 was building an outdoor classroom for Franklin Middle School.
District Scout Executive Todd Bolick says “I am proud to see the outstanding 34 year legacy of Troop 160 continuing from its first Eagle Scout in 1987 to the Troop’s 200th Eagle Scout in 2020. This Troop and the Franklin Middle School PTA have assisted their community by providing the Scouting program for generations. Here’s to seeing the next generation of Eagle Scouts continuing that legacy and providing countless hours of service and leadership!”
