Michael Guttilla

Michael Guttilla's project focused entirely on people -- putting smiles on the faces of the residents of the Verland Foundation in Sewickley as well as the volunteers who spent the day with them.

Guttilla, 18, of Ingomar, is the first member of Troop 398 to have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts.To earn that distinction, Guttilla organized a day of sports and athletic activities for 88 physically and mentally disabled residents of Verland.His scoutmaster couldn't be prouder.
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Guttilla spent about 150 hours planning and preparing for the event.He recruited volunteers from his troop to help on the day and met with Verland staff to iron out details.

He learned the hard way the importance of communication.Long after he'd selected a date in September 2003 to hold the event, Guttilla found out Verland had another activity planned for that day.So, he had to reschedule.

Complicating matters was that Guttilla was heading off to Blair Academy, a preparatory school in Blairstown, N.J. So, the project had to be planned during his spring break in March 2004, and many of the details had to be worked out by phone and e-mail.

"That was probably the worst part of the entire project," Guttilla said.

The best part was seeing the expressions of joy on the faces, not only of the Verland residents but of the Scouts who helped them.

"It was just as beneficial to the Scouts as it was to the residents," he said.

Sinko agreed.

"For the other Scouts in the troop, I think it was truly something special," he said."It let the boys come into contact with severely disabled individuals that they might not have known existed and learn that ... they are, at their core, not that different."

The boys who helped ranged in ages from 11 to 15.

Other members of Troop 398, which is based in Franklin Park and had been dormant until it was reorganized in 2000, are either working toward their Eagle rank or considering it.By including younger Scouts in his project, Guttilla has inspired them to persist in what can be a daunting challenge, Sinko said.
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Guttilla happily took on extra challenges, such as serving for two years as a den chief, teaching younger Scouts skills and leading activities with them.

Guttilla also is a member of the Order of the Arrow, a service organization that draws its members from Scouts.