NORTH SMITHFIELD – An Eagle Scout candidate who has been collecting items for the homeless in recent months recently took a major step forward in attaining the rank, assembling more than 200 care packages to deliver to a local organization for distribution.
Jack Wallbillich is working on the Eagle project with help from his fellow Scouts in Troop 1139 Slatersville. The group, named Troop of the Year by Scouting America Narragansett Council Northwest District this year, has produced 82 Eagle scouts – and counting – in its long and storied history.
Troop 1139 currently includes more than 30 Scouts along with 20 “Scouters” or adult leaders and was preceded by Troop 1, Slatersville, which began in the early 1900s. The original troop disbanded in 1960, but was revitalized in 1973 and rebranded as Troop 1139.
Wallbillich, a junior at North Smithfield High School, began his effort several months back, putting a call out to donors and collecting items including toiletries, snacks and playing cards. The drive ended on Thursday, July 31, and the Scout recently held his official Project Work Day, gathering troop members to assemble the packages for delivery to Woonsocket-based Community Care Alliance.
This week, Scoutmaster Russ Wright announced that the delivery of 201 packages has been scheduled.
Wright said that Wallbillich and others have completed approximately 120 work hours as part of the project, although the Eagle rank is not yet complete. Wallbillich and other Scouts assisting spent the time planning, fundraising, soliciting, collecting, shopping and assembling the packages.
“I think it is a perfect Eagle Project because it aligns perfectly with the values of Scouting—service, leadership, and community impact,” said Wright.
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