Township Council Honors Eagle Scout for Blackwood Caboose Work

Gloucester Township Council on Wednesday honored Dale Little Jr. for his efforts to help restore the interior of the caboose at Blackwood Lake Park.

Little restored the interior of the old railroad car to earn his Eagle Scout badge. He and his father, Dale Sr., put in new walls, installed new flooring and more.

It was not an easy project for the Triton Regional High School senior.

"It used to look terrible," Little Jr., a now-former member of Boys Scouts Troop No. 77, said. "It was a wreck."

Little completed the labor portion of his Eagle Scout project between October 2011 and January 2012, but, according to his father, it was a year-long process with all the paperwork and planning involved.

Now 18 years old, Little's days as a Boy Scout are over.

The caboose, located at Church Street and Railroad Avenue, will be open to the public during the Blackwood Pumpkin Festival this Sunday. Stop by to check out Little Jr.'s handy work.

Council President Glen Bianchini thanked Little Jr. for his efforts on the caboose, but also credited his parents, Dale Sr. and Eden, with doing a great job raising their son.

Eden Little noted Dale Jr. is the second Eagle Scout in the family, as older son Jack, now in the Navy, also earned his Eagle Scout badge as a member of Troop No. 77.

Little Jr. presented Bianchini with a plaque for the township on which all the organizations, families and businesses that helped him with his project are named.

Of Little Jr., Councilman Dan Hutchison said, "You represent the best that Gloucester Township has to offer."