Instead of spending it on himself, Scout gives mitzvah money to troop

He could’ve spent his bar mitzvah money on the typical things that interest 13-year-old boys: videogames, candy and comic books.

But Jacob Finch isn’t a typical boy.

The Second Class Scout from Kent, Conn., gave the money he raised to his Boy Scout troop.

Jacob realized that the older guys in Troop 11 sometimes have trouble financing their Eagle Scout service projects. So he earmarked his money for that purpose.

“He thought ‘Wow, maybe we can make sure other people’s Eagle Scout projects are covered,’” his mom, Tracey, says.

It was quite the Good Turn from quite the young man.

The story doesn’t end there. Jacob, who serves as Troop 11 webmaster, also writes a column for his local newspaper, the Lakeville Journal. He writes about current events, culture and technology.

But of particular interest to blog readers will be his column titled “Why the Boy Scouts are still relevant in today’s world.”

“All the survival skills, community service, career exploration, and helping the environment and others doesn’t just make you ‘Prepared. For Life,’” Jacob writes. “It makes life better for you.”

With Scouts like Jacob out there, the Boy Scouts will be relevant for centuries to come.

Photos by Melissa Roth Cherniske

Instead of spending it on himself, Scout gives mitzvah money to troop