Attaining the rank of Eagle Scout has become a tradition for the Wolfe family of South Tamaqua. Dad George achieved his Eagle rank in 1982. His elder son Richard earned his in 2006, and on Saturday, younger son Tylor received the honor at a Boy Scout Troop 777 Eagle Court of Honor ceremony held at St. John's United Church of Christ in Tamaqua.

The ceremony included citations presented by state Sen. David G. Argall - himself an Eagle Scout and former scout leader; state Rep. Jerry Knowles; Tamaqua Mayor Chris Morrison and U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David McCray.For his Eagle project, Tylor, 17, an 11th grade student at Tamaqua High School, added to the project his brother Richard built at the Carbon County Environmental Education Center, along Lentz Trail in Summit Hill. Richard earned his Eagle rank by building a 70-foot wooden walkway across wetlands to help students get to a creek to be able to study aquatic life.Tylor in turn earned his Eagle rank by building a 10-foot-by-10-foot platform with a table at the end of the wooden walkway built by his brother in 2005. Tylor also trimmed overgrown brush and built a privacy fence that will be used as a wall on which instructors can hang posters and charts. Behind the fence there are hooks for students to hang their bookbags and back packs.The platform will keep the students' feet dry because they'll be able to stand on a deck while working at a 6-foot-by-three-foot, bi-level table. The lower level of the table will hold microscopes while the two higher levels, one at each end, will hold the basins of water.The platform and table are built with pressure-treated wood.Tylor also made the students' access to the nearby creek easier by cutting back brush, cleaning up the area and placing stones to be used as steps.He built the project in four stages. The first stage involved preparing and leveling the ground, cutting back overgrown brush, digging out roots and rocks and cutting the planks for the platform.The second stage was making the table. The third stage was to build the privacy fence, and the fourth was to improve access to the creek.The project took four months, from July to November 2009. Tylor had the help of his parents, Franklin Klock of the CCEEC; Richard Frantz, Henry Krell, Roy Krell, Charlie Hollenbach, Jessica Hollenbach, Nic Clemson, Robert Pratka, Bobby Miller, Bradley McAloose, Mr. McAloose, Brian Veglia, Connor Veglia, Tyler Winterburn, Scoutmaster Scott Winterburn, Robin Hollenbach, Alissa Hollenbach, Dave Clemson, Tyler Groner, Marcy Miller, Peter Conforti, Mike Conforti, Drew Petritsch and Colin Johnson.At the ceremony Saturday, Klock spoke of how important the Wolfe brothers' projects are to the environmental center. He described them as the "most complete" and talked about the role the projects play in helping students learn about environmental concerns."CCEEC has been doing stream/macroinvertebrate (aquatic insect) studies, with area school groups for over 20 years," Klock said after the ceremony. "Over time, the area where the studies are done has become eroded by foot traffic and natural weathering. Also, it was really too small to accommodate the groups size we often take there.Richard "built a ground level boardwalk over the most eroded and muddy section of the trail, right into the area where stream studies take place. This walkway, over 80 feet in length, not only keeps little feet dry and mud free, but also prevents further mechanical (foot) erosion in this heavily used area. Less erosion means less surface water runoff and sediment deposits into the creek," Klock said. "Next came the benches. Richard and his crew built two large weather resistant benches, off site, and transported them to the stream study area. The were permanently installed, one on each side of the creek, giving visiting students, and visitors alike, a place to rest, write notes, and enjoy the beauty of this natural area," he said."When Tylor approached me about doing his Eagle project, the idea came to me right away. Richard's boardwalk and bench project worked out so well, and the area was now so much more accessible, that we now needed something else, an aquatics study station, away from the creek itself. Because we were now using the stream study area more, we needed a dedicated area to actually study the creatures the students were finding in the creek. Previously, the old bridge that spans the creek, had often been used as a place to put containers filled with water and creatures alike. This made for an unsafe environment for the students, as well as the creatures." Without hesitation, Tylor responded: 'I can do that'. Plans were drawn-up and finalized, and after a few weather delays, Tylor and his work crew began the construction of CCEEC's Aquatics Investigation Station," Klock said."Without the hard work, determination, and leadership of these two brothers, the students and teachers studying aquatic life at CCEEC would still be 'stuck in the mud'. Now, their education is more fun and exciting because they can concentrate more on the tasks at hand than worrying about their new shoes. Even more importantly, the human impact to the environment around the study area has been greatly reduced, making this a pair of projects that serve both man, and the environment. Not an easy task in our growing, changing world," Klock said. On Saturday, Richard recited "One Hundred Scouts," and later took the white neckerchief, which had been his Dad's, from around his neck and placed it around Tylor's.Brad Murphy read the Eagle Scout Honor Roll, asking those who had attained the rank to stand. At the end of the roll call, Murphy embraced Tylor, welcoming him as an Eagle Scout.Donna Smith recited the Eagle Scout poem, and Norma Secara recited The Rose, a poem about Eagle Scout mothers.Assistant Scout Leader Dave Clemson provided the introduction and Scoutmaster Winterburn presented Tylor with his pin.Tylor's father recalled some humorous memories of Tylor's scouting career, including an overturned canoe and learning to ski."It's been a long road, and an adventure," he said. "Congratulations, Bud."George Wolfe also said Tylor's Eagle pin was special because it was earned in 2010, during the 100th anniversary of scouting. George earned his Eagle rank while a scout in Troop 106 of New Mahoning. George painted the baseball dugout and picnic pavilion at the newly-built West Penn park in 1982.Over the course of his scouting career, Tylor has attained 49 merit badges, won the Mile Swim award and attained the Order of the Arrow.