BARBERTON: City Council members honored two residents for their accomplishments during Monday night’s meeting.
Members acknowledged Tristan Keeling for his 12-year journey to becoming an Eagle Scout. The senior at Barberton High School received the rank of Eagle Scout in December and will be recognized as such in a ceremony March 9.
Council President Fred Maurer and councilman Gary Endres said they were also in Boy Scouts but never made it to Eagle Scout.
“One of the biggest mistakes I made was not making it to Eagle Scout,” Maurer said.
Keeling joined the Cub Scouts in 2001 and earned his Arrow of Light in 2006, the highest award in Cub Scouts, before joining Boy Scouts with Troop 105.
During his time as a Boy Scout, he completed a community project that involved building a 16-room Purple Martin House at Lake Dorothy Park.
Because of his involvement with the Barberton Church of God Youth Group, Keeling plans to attend Ohio Christian University upon graduating high school and study youth ministries and disaster management.
Captain Richard Storad was also recognized Monday night for 37 years of service as a member of the Barberton Fire Department.
“It's pretty rare to hit 30 years, so to go beyond that is very rare,” Fire Chief Kim Baldwin said, stressing how tolling the job is mentally and physically.
Storad began his service as a Barberton firefighter in 1976. Between 1976 and 1991 Storad held positions as lieutenant, captain and administrative chief of fire before voluntarily returning to Caption in 1995.
During his time with the fire department, Storad founded the Barberton Fire Department Technical Rescue Operations Team and was an original member of the Summit County Technical Rescue Operations Team. He was also a fire service instructor and longtime member of the National Fire Department Safety Officers Association.
Storad's last day was Feb. 22, making him the third-longest serving member in the history of the Barberton Fire Department.
