Troop 66 recognizes seven new Eagle Scouts

The Boy Scouts of America Troop 66 of Dunmore recognized seven new Eagle Scouts at a ceremony in the Presbyterian Church, Chestnut Street. The scouts were recognized for their commitment to faith, nature, their community, and their country. 

“Each of them, as part of their eagle project, had to do a service project. Some of them were done at this church, where one of them redid a set of stairs, another redid some landscaping, another of our scouts redid a fence at McDade Park,” said Larry Durkin, Mentor Boy Scouts of America Troop 66.

Durkin says this is the first time in Troop 66’s over 70-year history that they are honoring this many new Eagle Scouts, who are shown from left: Luke Kalinowski, Bryce Talutto, CJ Muir, Peter Durkin, Congressman Matt Cartwright, Martin Smith, Caden Kirby, and Zach Eynon.

Bryce Talutto achievesrank of Eagle Scout

Bryce Talutto, son of Jason and Melanie Talutto of Dunmore, became an Eagle Scout in December. A member of Troop 66, Bryce is the grandson of the late Edward and Anna Dudick and Marie Hesser and the late Joseph “Tootsie” Talutto Sr. 

A student at Dunmore High School, Bryce is a member of CAD, gym club, and the football, track and field and basketball teams. His hobbies include sports, video games, and “taking my bike off sweet jumps.”

Bryce started in Cub Scouts in 2012 with Order of the Arrow, with Dominick Pace and MaryAnne Hogan as Scoutmasters.

As a member of the Holy Family Social and Welfare Club, Bryce participates in holiday events throughout the year, and he noticed there was no seating around the lake. That became an inspiration for his Eagle Scout project, which entailed building benches with used fishing lined disposal containers to place around the lake. “That offers people places to sit and helps prevent pollution of the lake with old fishing line,” Talutto explains.

Bruce says that being involved in Scouting has affected his life. 

“It has taught me valuable lessons I can use for the rest of my life, including wilderness survival, leadership, and teamwork.”

In the future, he plans on attending Wilkes University to major in pharmacy, then obtain his doctorate in pharmacy, become a pharmacist, and open his own pharmacy. 

A very busy young man. Bryce says, “I am truly proud of myself for being able to accomplish my goal of becoming an Eagle Scout. It took me to the very last possible moment, but I got it done.” 

This wasn’t due to laziness or lack of effort, Talutto explains. “I have been on the Dunmore Bucks Varsity Football and Track teams since I was a freshman, and I was on the freshman team in seventh and eighth grades.

“During that time, these sports took up the majority of my time, as there were practices, meetings, mandatory lifting sessions, plus the games and meets that took place all through the year.”

“Some days I would leave for school at 7:30 in the morning and not return home until 9 at night.  All the while, I maintained my grades to be inducted into the National Honor Society and had a job working at Jerry’s For All Seasons.”