Eagle Scout Project Provides Training Facility for CMC Sheriff’s K-9 Unit

CREST HAVEN – “On Olly! On Axel! On Bronco! On Jax!” Those aren’t Santa’s reindeer, but rather four of the eight K-9 dogs of Cape May County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit that have benefited from an early Christmas gift from 14-year-old “Santa” and prospective Eagle Scout Joey O’Keefe. 
All four canine recipients stood by, with their police handlers, inside Courtroom B of Cape May County Superior Court Dec. 1 as Sgt. Beth Perednas, commanding officer of Cape May County K-9 Unit, and her officers presented O’Keefe with a certificate of appreciation thanking him for “the design and construction of the Sheriff’s K-9 Unit obstacle course.” 
K-9 dogs need to run, jump and climb to maintain their fitness and energy levels to properly serve the residents of Cape May County. O’Keefe, from Wildwood Crest, who attends St. Augustine’s School in Richland, N.J., was about to follow in his brother Jimmy’s footsteps as an Eagle Scout, but needed to find just the right project to complete his requirements.
His dad Michael told him about a young lady who had raised money to buy the K-9 Unit dogs their protective vests, and O’Keefe asked, “Could I possibly do something like that?
“We called the K-9 Unit and they said they needed some obstacles to train their dogs,” O’Keefe continued.
O’Keefe spoke with Sgt. Perednas who helped him coordinate the project and provided support to him and his family.
In early summer of this year, O’Keefe put together a proposal to his scouting leadership to build various walls and other obstacles for the K-9 course used regularly by dogs and handlers to keep their animals fit for duty.
O’Keefe learned that he could order Frisbees (a favorite dog toy) which they did, with various K-9 names and faces printed on them, and sold them outside Bayview Restaurant in Wildwood Crest to raise money for the project. O’Keefe was able to raise $2,088 to finance his plan for a K-9 training facility.
He enlisted Sgt. Perednas as his police mentor, and with help from his parents, they were able to get the assistance of John Ferry, a kind neighbor and expert carpenter, to help with the technical work. O’Keefe also enlisted the help of fellow boy scouts in Troop #73 in West Cape May to do the work with him. O’Keefe noted that, “I had to demonstrate leadership by organizing many people to help,” a key element for any successful project.
O’Keefe wanted to especially thank Sgt. Perednas, brother Jimmy, Ferry and all the scouts who helped make this project a success. 
O’Keefe also noted with pride that he donated the $312 budget surplus to the K-9 Unit to be used to help support the dogs and the K-9 Unit in general.
As always, the act of giving reflects back to the giver in ways not easily defined or anticipated. O’Keefe’s Christmas gift to the people of Cape May County this year is watching police K-9s and handlers training, and knowing that he had an impact on keeping the public safe this Christmas season, and all year long. 
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.