Eagle Scout receives annual DiLullo Scholarship
As a 6-year-old, Brandon Trandai started to develop an interest in medicine while watching his pediatrician mom treat patients.
During high school, his goal-setting for a medical career grew as he spent three hours per week for three years at Northwest Community Hospital delivering flowers and get-well cards to patients and volunteering as a receptionist.
As a Boy Scout in Arlington Heights Troop 34, Trandai’s interest in helping persons continued with his planning and completion of his Eagle service project — the assembly and delivery of 100 “Emergency First Aid Kits” to local agencies for distribution to potential users.
Because of his project and other qualifications, Eagle Scout Brandon Trandai was selected as the 2013 recipient of the Northwest Suburban Council’s Joseph DiLullo Scholarship.
Margaret and Mario DiLullo recently presented Trandai with the $500 award during a ceremony at the council’s Mount Prospect office.
The presentation marked the 24th anniversary of the scholarship established by the DiLullos in honor of their Eagle Scout son, Joseph, who died unexpectedly in December 1988.
To be considered for the award, an Eagle Scout candidate must be accepted by a four-year college; have completed an outstanding service project; have shown leadership skills; have excelled in academic achievements; and participated in community service.
“All of the applicants and their service projects were excellent this year,” said Mario DiLullo. “It was a difficult decision. We actually held two committee meetings to make the selection. After much deliberation, it was decided to give the award to Brandon, whose efforts and goal-setting put him over the top.”
DiLullo stated that Trandai’s idea of creating and distributing the 100 Emergency First Aid Kits was unique and helped to fill a little-known need in the community.
The kits consist of canvas, over-the-shoulder carrying bags with multiple pockets for containing emergency use items such as flashlights, water bottles, food, hygiene and basic first aid articles.
To complete his project, Trandai logged more than 20 hours of planning and management. More than 50 hours were logged by Troop 34 Scouts collecting and donating items and helping to assemble the kits.
Other donors included Drs. Barsoum and Bonpontikes and the Arlington Heights Senior Center.
The troop’s sponsor, the Arlington Heights Rotary Club, contributed $500 for use in the unit’s Eagle projects.
Expressing her gratitude for the Rotarians’ interest and generosity, Margaret DiLullo said, “The Rotary is so good about helping with all of the troop’s Eagle projects, and Brandon’s (project) is another great example.”
After the collection of items, distribution of the assembled kits was made within Arlington Heights to the Health Department, Emergency Transportation Services and to the Arlington Heights Senior Center.
Trandai, a June graduate of Buffalo Grove High School, is now in his freshman year at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. He is one of 109 students who qualified to enroll in the school’s accelerated program that grants both a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Medicine degree in a six-year period, instead of the normal eight-year requirement.
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