Gregory Waldron, of Willow Grove  was honored February 23, 2003 at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Abington  for receiving the coveted rank of Eagle, a goal that less than 3% of all Scouts achieve.  Among his mentors and those that he credits with helping him to this achievement, he includes his mother,  Sylvia Alden,  Eagle Scout, Rob Paradise, as well as the leaders of his Troop. In particular , one of those leaders, Mr. Tom Smerke was a powerful influence in Greg's life and helped Greg set his sights and goals high , aiming for college and beyond.  

While at Abington High School, Greg was actively involved in a variety of activities such as Student Council, Science Club, Spanish Club and Tech Club as well as F.A.D.D.  ( Friends Against Drunk Driving) .

     Highlights of Greg's scouting career include 6 years of Summer Camp experiences, a High Adventure Trip to the Allagash in Maine and  Scope Olympia - a Scout Exchange, with Canadian  Scouters.  In the course of attaining the rank of Eagle, Greg held many  leadership positions in the Troop, such as Quartermaster and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, and took leadership training and development courses to aid his progress.

             For his Eagle project, Greg planned and executed the removal and  replacement of a fenced enclosure for Penny Pack Watershed.  His project involved everything from preparation of the area to  procurement of materials , including fencing ,tarp and stone,  to supervision of the crew of volunteers.  It even included details such as  the protection of  endangered plant specimens. 

Greg,  currently a Finance and Business Administration major at Temple University,   and VP of Community Service  at Phi Lambda Theta ( a reflection , he asserts, of the scouting influence in his life)   has  future plans that include having a family of his own and a career as a Financial Advisor or Stockbroker. He  intends to continue his affiliation with Scouting. 

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  Thank you for printing this article  on behalf of the Scouts in Troop 72.  We are a non-profit organization.  Troop 72 is home-based in Overlook Hills, Abington Township but the Troop has members in Huntingdon Valley,  Meadowbrook, Jenkintown , Roslyn, Willow Grove, North Hills (and even one or two from Warminster, Hatboro, Maple Glen,  Danboro, Perkasie  and Chalfont ).  Any papers in circulation in these areas  would reach readers interested in our events.    If you have any questions or would like more information about them, please call Publicity Coordinator - Lora Lehmann at 215-885-0504 .   Other contacts:  Committee Chairman  George Lutzow: 215-659-5706 or Scoutmaster Jim Webb 215-887-3924.