To be a steward of the environment is honor enough, but to have the foresight for posterity takes a special kind of dedication.
That dedication is a central tenet of the Boy Scouts of America’s Scouts program (for children aged 11 to 17) and one that Bellport High School senior, William Camarda, engaged to complete his Eagle Scout project at the Center for Environmental Education and Discovery (CEED).
The project was the construction of a “chimney swift tower” to help the local avian community thrive. Chimney swift towers have also been in decline and habitat loss is considered to be the primary cause.
Chimney swifts are adapted to nest and roost in large, hollow trees. With deforestation, many of the natural habitats have been cut down and resourceful birds began using chimneys in lieu of hollow trees.
Today, chimney swifts rely almost exclusively on human-made structures and are usually capped or removed.
The grounds of CEED were selected for the chimney swift project because of the protected Nature Preserve under the Suffolk County Parks Open Space program.
“Billy’s work ethic and commitment to the community through the Boy Scouts has been a joy to watch unfold. He has served his community with various projects to beautify and conserve the environment and learned the value of a strong work ethic by collaboratively working as a respectful team member and seeing each project through to the end, no matter the challenge. His work ethic has been further strengthened by beginning a part-time job at the local library. Whether it’s his progress through Boy Scouts, his excellent academic record, his recent entry into the workforce, or his true dedication to his favorite hobbies of fishing and being out in nature, his perseverance and dedication to all that he sets out to do has been an absolute pleasure to bear witness to,” said William’s mother, Lindsay Camarda.
Echoing her sentiments was Billy’s scout troop leader, Peter Xenakis, who said, “I’ve had the privilege of working with William [Billy] as he advances toward the Eagle Scout rank, and his persistence was especially evident in this project at CEED, which required a rigorous approval process. Through Scouting, he’s developed real patience and determination, and he never gave up as he worked toward this goal.”
Billy joined the scouts in second grade as a Wolf Scout and progressed all through Cub Scouts and eventually Boy Scouts. He has fulfilled a number of roles during his nearly lifelong membership, including librarian, chaplain aide, patrol leader, and assistant senior patrol leader.
“I stayed involved with scouting because it turned into a long-term commitment that grew with me. I also enjoyed the opportunities to make friends, spend time outdoors, and learn new skills. As I got older, earning Eagle became increasingly important to me because it represented years of dedication. Scouting has taught me leadership, responsibility, and how to see things through until the end,” said Billy.
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