Scouts honored for
rescuing hiker on Trail

Members of Fox Chase-based Boy Scouts Troop 226 were recently honored with Pennsylvania House of Representatives citations and the National Medal of Merit by the Boy Scouts of America National Court of Honor.
Last October, while hiking the Appalachian Trail in Berks County, the Scouts and a Girl Scout from Venture Crew 226 encountered an injured 41-year-old woman, Jane Scholl, who had fallen several feet off a cliff and hit her head while trying to take pictures.
The Scouts used their sweatshirts and tree limbs to build a stretcher and carried her for two-and-a-half miles to paramedics.
The story was broadcast on NBC’s Today Show.
The troop, based at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, was honored earlier this month by state Reps. George Kenney and Josh Shapiro.
The Medal of Merit goes to Scouts who have performed "a significant or outstanding act of service of exceptional character." The honorees were troop leaders Andrew C. Swartz and Christopher J. Gallagher, troop members William M. Bowman and Nicholas M. Swartz, Venture Scout Megan E. Gallagher and Eagle Scout Andrew W. Swartz. ••