Eagle Scout Project at Dey Mansion
This summer Vincent Bellomo (left), a member of Troop 108 in Wayne, is doing painting and repair work on the Dey Mansion’s smoke house and spring house as a project to earn his Eagle Scout rank. Mark Miragliotta, a scout and a student at Wayne Valley High School, is assisting Bellomo with the various tasks. Eagle Scout is the highest rank for any scout. More than two million young men have earned the award since it first was designated in 1912—two years after the scouting organization was founded. To achieve the distinction, an Eagle Scout must earn 21 merit badges in categories such as citizenship and community service, lifesaving and emergency preparedness, camping, environmental science, swimming, hiking and cycling. Bellomo, a student at Passaic County Technical Institute, said he hatched the idea for doing service work at the Dey Mansion because of his participation with the golf team at the vocational high school. He competes with the school’s golf team at Preakness Valley Golf Course, which is adjacent to the historic 18th century site, and became curious to learn if he could volunteer at the Dey Mansion.