Two West Siders Receive Eagle Status
Eric Ortner
West Side TimesTwo West Side residents received the Boy Scouts of America's distinguished honor of Eagle Scout over the weekend. Chris Egner and Mark S. Barill, Jr. from Troop 102 were honored in a ceremony at St. Luke's United Church of Christ located at Elmwood and West Utica on May 27, 2000.
The two young men serve as Assistant Scoutmasters with the troop. Mark S. Barill, Sr. is the Scoutmaster for the troop. He explained that the two new Eagle Scouts' tradition as model scouts was clearly noticed in 1992 during an outstanding project honoring United States' Veterans. Chris and Mark along with Erik Yuhnke, Robert Perry, Eric Stein, Edward Gelster, Robert Gelster and Chris Mullen worked at cleaning the flags placed on the veterans' graves. After the nasty weather of November had thoroughly smeared Old Glory with mud, the youths took the initiative to clean and iron the flags. The tiny stars and stripes were then put back in their rightful places in time for Memorial Day.
"It was a big to do," explained Mark S. Barill, Sr. "It saved the County a lot of money, because they usually had to replace the flags," he continued.
"They were the group that won the George Washington Honor Medal which is sponsored through the Freedom Foundation in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Just about everyone in that group has gone on to make Eagle," the Scoutmaster concluded.
Mark Barill, Jr., a School Street resident, is a senior at Canisius High School. At school he is Captain of the Canisius High School Outdoor Adventure group which goes on excursions to famous locations like Mt. Marcy. He is also active in the Environmental Club at school. In addition, Mark runs on the Cross Country and Outdoor track teams.
Mark's hobbies include hiking and backpacking as well as canoeing. These hobbies fit in very well with the Boy Scouts. Therefore Mark has received the honor of being elected Elangomat Chairman for the Order of the Arrow by his peers. In this position, Mark is in charge organizing a regional gathering of the Order of the Arrow. It will include all sorts of activities, and Mark assigns people specific jobs in order to help set up and break down the camp.
Mark Barill is actively involved in the community through community service activities. Mark has donated his time to the Philharmonic. He has worked hard in organizing and taking part in cleanups on Grant Street and the Towpath. Mark also works with Brush Up Buffalo, a large volunteer organization that paints houses in need of a fresh coat.
Mark Barill, Jr.'s Eagle Project consisted of painting walls and ceilings for the Catholic Academy of West Buffalo.
Christopher B. Egner, from Lafayette Avenue, is a senior at City Honors where he keeps busy in the French Club, DECA, the School Bookstore, and as a Science Olympiad. Mr. Egner's activities in City Honors also include participation in groups like the Buffalo City Math League, Mu Alpha Theta Math Club, and the Stock Market Game. Moreover, he is also a volunteer in organizations such as Amnesty International.
Even with all of these time consuming activities, Christopher B. Egner still finds time to play and coach soccer. He also enjoys model rocketry and working on computers. Hiking and camping are among his favorite pastimes in the Boy Scouts.
The Eagle Scout Status is just another addition to his long list of awards and recognition. He is also an AP Scholar with Honor and holds a National Merit Scholarship Letter of Commendation. Chris is listed in Who's Who Among American High School Students and has placed second and sixth in the National French Contest. The Buffalo Public School District has given Chris an Award of Excellence, and the American Legion has bestowed the Red, White and Blue Award upon him.
Christopher Egner's Eagle Project saw him planning, organizing, and leading the Second Annual Family Train Day at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.
