Curiosity leads to ordinary legacy moments, make no mistake about it.  When something catches my eye, even in the midst of garage sale goings-on, I’ve got to take a look.

What a moment I stumbled upon.  Picture this, it’s 86 degrees around noon on the day of my cousin’s garage sale.  We are scrambling to put up a tent for cover from the sun and I see this van stop up at the corner.  Some kids jump out, and get to work?  On what?  By the time the tent is up, I’ve missed it.

But looking down the other side of the street there they are again.  Ok, I’m curious (otherwise known as nosey, I get it) because they are all crouched down on the screaming hot pavement painting a Maltese cross on the black top.  Did I mention it’s 86 degrees?  Probably 155 on the street…ok I exaggerate but it was damn hot.

Can I ask what you’re doing?  Sure, says Daniel Buda, it’s my Eagle Scout Project.  We’re painting a Maltese cross on the pavement in front of every fire hydrant in Dumont (NJ) so that in inclement weather our fire fighters can recognize the hydrant location.  If a hydrant isn’t shoveled out in winter, chances are the cross on the pavement will be seen after the snow’s been plowed.

And there you have it, Daniel Buda of Scout Troop 1345 (Dumont/Bergenfield NJ) and his friends Sean Adomilli, Naomi Castaneda, Kendra Chaiken, Kyle Villareal and Eric D’Anna were going from hydrant to hydrant on one of the hottest summer days to insure that the firefighters of their town could do their job most efficiently…say what you want about the youth of today, these are the kids who are already ordinary legacies in the making. They were off again in a matter of minutes, on to the next location, being led by Daniel and shuttled by two wonderful gentlemen volunteers, I regret I didn’t get their names.

Later in the day when I was done with my garage sale shift I met the man who’s house was behind the hydrant, he hadn’t been home when the kids did their thing.  We had a great conversation about how cool it was and he told me that he’s lived in this house his whole life, I estimate his age at around 85, and his father was once the Fire Chief in town.  What a moment, what a good bunch of kids.

Made my day then, even more coincidentally I couldn’t help noticing all the Maltese crosses I passed on my way to Gramma’s today.  That is an ordinary legacy moment relived.  Thank you Daniel and company for a job well done. Let us know when you make Eagle Scout.