Thomas James (TJ) Seifert of Brick will be awarded Eagle Scout status at a ceremony this Sunday, May 20, at St. Thomas Lutheran Church. About 4% of all Boy Scouts
attain the rank of Eagle—entailing earning 21 merit badges and successfully completing a community service project.

For his Eagle project, TJ chose to help his sponsoring troop’s church, St Thomas Lutheran, to improve its exterior--repainting the parking and handicapped areas, installing a flower garden and adding paving stones.

As well as being the Assistant Scout Patrol Leader for Troop 17, TJ is a junior at Monsignor Donovan High School in Toms River where he participates in the Big Brother/Big Sister program, Interact and World Culture Clubs and has just been named a Student Ambassador.

TJ makes it clear that his Eagle project was not a solo effort. Many local businesses, scouts, family and friends generously volunteered time and materials to the efforts. And many leaders have also taken the time to recognize TJ’s efforts including: President and Mrs. Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Governor Chris Christie, Representative Chris Smith, both of New Jersey’s U.S. Senators—Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez and president of OceanFirst Bank—Vito Nardelli.

Discussing TJ’s achievement, his father, Thomas, a teacher at Toms River Intermediate South and his mother, Mary Kay, an office manager for the OceanFirst Foundation, like to paraphrase Neil Armstrong (an Eagle Scout) by saying, “Thanks to the help of many, this eagle has landed!”