Mercer Islanders awarded highest rank from BSA Troop 457

Carl Garrett, 16, and Chris Wales, l4, of Boy Scout Troop 457, were honored at a special Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Nov. 21 at the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church. Garrett and Wales represent the most recent additions to the Mercer Island troop’s roster of 144 Eagle Scouts since 1953.

Garrett performed his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project at the Mercer Island library, leading a team of volunteers who cleared over 3.5 tons of invasive plants, installing a short trail and planting 100 native plants.

He is a junior at Mercer Island High School, where he has performed in two productions of the MIHS drama department and was an alternate for the recent MIHS boys state cross country team. As a member of King County Explorer Search and Rescue, he is currently using his scouting skills to participate in searches and rescues of injured hikers.

Wales is a third-generation Eagle Scout. His grandfather, Henry M. Wales, received his Eagle Scout award in 1931 in New York City. His father, Harman Wales, became an Eagle Scout in Radnor, Pa., in 1971. His brother, Michael Wales, was awarded his Eagle rank on Mercer Island in 2007.

Wales performed his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project in Pioneer Park under the direction of Mercer Island’s Park and Recreation Arborist Paul West. He led a team of six young men in the improvement and repair of Pioneer Park’s Fox Trail, which has been damaged by constant flooding.

Wales is a freshman at Seattle Preparatory School on Capitol Hill. He rows for the varsity team at Lake Union Crew.

BSA Troop 457 currently has over 65 active scouts from Mercer Island and is led by Scoutmaster Jeff Garrett.

Island NCL members honor Special Olympians

The National Charity League, Evergreen Chapter, held a special event on Nov. 15 at the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church. NCL members recently teamed up with the Special Olympics to recognize Special Olympian athletes on Mercer Island.

The 10th-grade NCL class is a large and diverse class of girls from several different schools with varied interests. A passion for sports is something that they all have in common and hoped to celebrate and share with the audience of over 225 members.

Last summer, each student volunteered at Special Olympics events around Puget Sound.

They were inspired by the athletes’ ambition, joy and hard work that shone through their participation.

Mercer Island Special Olympians Ellie McKenna and Stephanie Soha shared their unique sports experiences with the NCL group. Lucinda Soha, the mother of athlete Stephanie Soha, told her story of helping to bring the Special Olympics to Mercer Island for the 90 Island participants who live here and how important having local events and community support has been.

National Charity League is a mother/daughter philanthropy group that supports many charities around the community through volunteer work.