Sayreville Scouts Ask Borough To Help Cover Registration Costs For Local Kids

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SAYREVILLE, NJ — Sayreville already helps cover registration costs for local youth sports. Now, local Scout leaders are asking the borough to consider doing the same for children who participate in scouting.

Scouts, parents and troop leaders packed the Aug. 17 Borough Council meeting to make their case, pointing to thousands of hours of community service completed throughout Sayreville and the impact scouting has had on local children.

No decision was made, but borough officials said they were willing to consider the idea as they begin looking ahead to next year’s budget.

Scouts Point To More Than $43,000 In Volunteer Work

Troop 96 Scoutmaster Jim McCracken asked the borough to explore covering registration fees for local children participating in Scouting America and the Girl Scouts of America.

McCracken said Troop 96 scouts have completed more than 1,700 hours of work on Eagle Scout service projects during his tenure.

Using $25 per hour as an estimate for the value of that work, McCracken said the service represents more than $43,000 in donated labor. That doesn’t include materials, which he said scouts raised money to purchase themselves.

“It will be one of the best investments you can make,” McCracken told the council.

Projects completed by local scouts have included work at parks and trails, Gaga pits at schools and parks, a playground, greenhouse and community garden planter boxes.

Scouts have also participated in town cleanups, Sayreville Feeds, the Memorial Day parade and other volunteer efforts.

Young Scouts Explain What The Program Means To Them

Several scouts took the microphone themselves.

Robert Murphy, an incoming high school senior and Troop 96 webmaster, spoke about developing leadership and communication skills after beginning scouting in third grade.

Charles Ritchie, a 15-year-old Eagle Scout who attends Christian Brothers Academy, said scouting has helped prepare him for the future.

“Scouting has given me a lot of life skills I could definitely take when I’m older,” Ritchie said.

Lionel Adamek of Troop 97 told officials he earned his Tenderfoot rank over the summer and hopes to become an Eagle Scout by age 16.

Girl Scouts also joined the presentation, including Quinn, who offered a simpler reason for enjoying the program: getting to “hang out with my friends.”

Officials also heard about the growth of scouting opportunities for girls. Sayreville’s first female troop was formed five years ago and now has 25 members, making it the largest female troop in the Monmouth Council, according to information presented at the meeting.

Could Sayreville Actually Pay The Fees?

Mayor Kennedy O’Brien said the timing makes immediate funding difficult because the borough recently adopted its 2026 municipal budget.

“Timing is everything,” O’Brien said.

He asked McCracken to provide Business Administrator Glenn Skarzynski with the number of participating scouts and the potential cost so officials could evaluate the idea going forward.

O’Brien also encouraged organizers to make the proposal inclusive of other scouting programs, including Cub Scouts, Brownies and Girl Scouts.

The mayor pointed to the borough’s decision to cover youth sports registration costs, saying participation increased by approximately 25%.

Councilwoman Mary Novak, who said she spent nine years as a Girl Scout leader, also expressed interest in considering the proposal.

“We finally passed the budget, and we’ll already, as Glenn was just telling me, that we’re already looking at next year’s budget, and we certainly will keep the Boy Scouts in mind,” Novak said.

She added that reducing costs could help “get more kids involved.”

Council President John Zebrowski praised the young speakers, saying they spoke “tremendously well.”

For now, the proposal remains just that — a proposal. The next step will be determining how many local children could be covered and what it would cost the borough before officials decide whether to include funding in a future budget.

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