Left to right: Commissioner Joe Sciaretti, Denise Ruggeri, Nathan Ruggeri, President Chris Abbuhl, & Commissioner Al Landis.
NEW PHILADELPHIA (Tusco TV) - The Tuscarawas County Commissioners officially recognized Nathan Ruggeri of Dover with the distinction of Eagle Scout during their meeting Monday morning.
Nathan, a Dover high school junior and member of Boy Scout Troop 94, coordinated and completed the construction of a wheelchair-accessible pedestrian bridge at the Norma Johnson Center to fulfill his recognization.
“I was thinking. . . it’d be nice to give back to the Norma Johnson Center specifically because I had received from them. So, it was kind of nice to give back.” Ruggeri says.
County Commissioner President Chris Abbuhl says he believes Mrs. Johnson would be very pleased with the work Ruggeri committed to the center.
“Mrs. Johnson was a pretty dynamic individual, and we talked a little bit early about how self-sustaining she was and how involved she was with conservation. So, I think she’d be very pleased with the work being done over there.”
Ruggeri’s mother, Denise Ruggeri of Dover says she’s proud of the service and work her son dedicated to the community and also proud of how the community came together to help.
Says Ruggeri, “It’s remarkable how community comes together. I’m very pleased how family, friends, the people at Norma Johnson’s, we all worked together.”
Commissioner Joe Sciarretti adds that he’s glad for the opportunity to meet Rugerri in person, as that is not often the case with eagle scout recognization.
“Many times, we don’t have the Eagle Scout here because of schedules or whatever, so I’m very happy you made an effort to be here, especially because of the county asset that you improved. So, thank you.”
In attendance at the meeting, Tracy Haney of the Soil and Water Office, says she hopes Rugerri will remain aware of just how much his project will help the members of the community going forward.
“What a generous, kind, and hard-working individual you are. And I don’t want you to forget the impact that what you did will have for the future of the center.”
According to the National Eagle Scout Association, Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable by a scout, with only 5% of its members reaching the milestone, and Boy Scout Magazine cites 153.1 hours of service contributed for each Eagle Project.
Ruggeri says he plans on remaining active with the Scouts even after his eighteenth birthday. He also is a member of the Dover Marching Tornadoes and Steel Drum Band. He plans on attending university to study eco-friendly architecture.
Other business of the County Commissioners meeting included supplemental appropriations for the Parks Dept and for hazardous chemical equipment, out of county travel for the Water and Sewer Dept., and a prisoner care agreement with the Village of Bolivar. They meet Mondays and Wednesdays at 9 AM and 1 PM respectively.
RYAN HOUK, TUSCO TV