wfn.org | Book Project Ends Chapter of Eatontown Eagle's Career

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28-August-1998 
98271 
 
    Book Project Ends Chapter of Eatontown Eagle's Career 
 
    by Clare McDowell 
    Asbury Park Press 
 
EATONTOWN, N.J.-Andrew Buckley's mother was glad to have her garage back. 
Last spring, it probably looked more like a library while Buckley completed 
his Eagle Scout service project. 
 
    Buckley, now 18, chose to collect books for the Readers' Service, a 
Presbyterian Church book collections center in the Stony Point Center in 
Stony Point, N.Y.  That agency acts as a "worldwide bookmobile," 
distributing books to needy areas all over the world. 
 
    "I collected from area churches, including my own, the Hope 
Presbyterian Church in Tinton Falls," said Buckley, of Eatontown.  "I 
collected from schools, and in my own development.  One Saturday we gave 
our fliers to every home [about 500], and we collected books the next." 
 
    During the four-month effort, Buckley stored those books in his garage. 
When the final count came in, there were about 5,000 in there.  Then 
another week or two were spent in that garage as he emptied the books out 
of bags and boxes and organized them into categories, then repackaged them. 
 
    Finally, one Saturday, he and his father loaded all the books into a 
rented truck and drove them to New York. 
 
    Buckley combined two of his strongest affiliations - scouting and his 
church - for one project. 
 
    "I'm active in the Presbyterian Church on a national level," said 
Buckley.  Last year, Buckley was elected as one of two moderators of a new 
national youth organization within the Presbyterian Church called the 
"Presbyterian Youth Connection."  He is serving for three years, traveling 
around the country running workshops for church members ages 12 through 24 
to keep young people active in the church. 
 
    "I had been to Stony Point and thought about [an Eagle project idea] 
with my mom, and it made perfect sense. 
 
    "It was fun, too.  And it felt good," he added.  "Especially for my 
mom, getting all those books out of the garage." 
 
    Buckley started his scouting career with Troop 253 in Eatontown, then 
transferred to West Long Branch Troop 145, where a lot of his friends were, 
during his high school years.  He received the Eagle Scout rank - the 
highest award in scouting - in a Court of Honor in April. 
 
    "[Scouting] gave me a great group of friends to grow up with, to have 
good experiences with," said Buckley.  "I met other families, in other 
towns, and some are lifelong friends." 
 
    Buckley said he has spent his whole life scouting.  His mom, Jean, and 
his dad, Steven, have also been active with his troop, and siblings Daniel, 
16, and Elizabeth, 13, are also in scouting. 
 
    "It's a lot of fun, and it's a good learning experience," Buckley said. 
"There are a lot of great opportunities that come along the way.  I went on 
the high adventure backpacking in Philmont Scout Reservation in New Mexico 
in 1993 and went to the national Jamboree in Virginia in 1994." 
 
    Scoutmaster Adam Bogner said Buckley always helped out the younger 
scouts while he worked hard on his own Eagle project. 
 
    "He's very supportive of the younger scouts," Bogner said.  "He always 
contributed to the troop, and gave the younger ones a focus on what you've 
got to shoot for." 
 
    Bogner said Buckley is very dedicated to the church and to scouting. 
 
    "He has very close ties with the Hope Presbyterian Church, and he is 
also very dedicated to boy scouting," Bogner said.  "That was demonstrated 
by his project, where he brought them together." 
 
    Buckley recently graduated from Mater Dei High School in Middletown and 
plans to study Christian education at Presbyterian College in Clinton, 
S.C., this fall. 

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