NORTH CANAAN — The effort it takes to become an Eagle Scout is almost legendary. The dedication and effort that goes into attaining the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank — and the personal character required — are extraordinary. The support of family, Scout leaders and fellow Scouts is essential but also implicit.Kyle Jason Greenberg joined the ranks of the special few in December, shortly after turning 18, when he joined the 2 percent of Scouts who reach that rank. At his Court of Honor on March 4 at VFW Post 6851, attended by his parents, Sandra and William “Bill” Greenberg (who is also his Scoutmaster); Troop 22 and their families; current and former Scout leaders; representatives from the Marine Corps League; and the Masons.Kyle was presented with commendations from dignitaries including the governor and the president, along with an American flag that has flown at the White House.In his brief remarks toward the close of the ceremony, Kyle thanked everyone in the room, saying, “I couldn’t have done it without you.”He was escorted by Eagle Scouts Scott Zinke and Derek Van Deusen (a Lakeville Journal employee). Kyle is the first Eagle Scout from Troop 22 since 2006.Camping is his favorite“I started in first grade as a Tiger Cub,” Kyle said in an interview after the ceremony. “From Pack 22 through Troop 22, I worked my way up through the ranks.”Thinking back over his years of Scouting memories, it is his first summer that stands out.“We did a lot of camping over the years, and that’s probably my favorite part,” he said. “That first summer at Camp Workcoeman [in New Hartford] was a real big thing. It was full of new experiences that I will never forget. Since then, camping has always been my favorite thing.”Both of his parents were involved from the beginning. Bill Greenberg recalled helping Tiger Den 3 leaders Rob Perotti and Denise Dubay. He became a leader when Kyle got to Webelos. In Troop 22, he started as assistant Scoutmaster and is now Scoutmaster, a job he would like to continue for a while. “I really enjoy it. The kids are great and we’re almost done building the new Scout house. I’d like to see that through at least.”At the ceremony, he brought the room to tears when he began his remarks as Scoutmaster with, “I am very proud of my son.”He noted their 13 years in Scouting together, and asked all Kyle’s leaders to come up.“They built it. They made it what it is today, and got Kyle where he is,” Greenberg said.Dinner following the Court of Honor was provided by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in North Canaan.To obtain the Eagle rank, a Scout must earn at least 21 merit badges, advance through the ranks of Star and Life. After becoming a Life Scout, he must be active for at least six months in his troop in a leadership role. Before his 18th birthday, he must complete a major project that benefits the greater community and demonstrates those leadership skills; included in the project are planning, obtaining funding and getting approvals as needed, and organizing helpers. Refurbished GreenwayKyle chose to refurbish trailhead signs at the South Greenway in the center of North Canaan, with help from Tom Zetterstrom, who originated the trails here, and became an Eagle Scout in 1963. That portion of the Greenway is more than two decades old now. It was overgrown from disuse. Kyle organized Scouts to remove invasive species and get the trail back in shape. He is hoping his new-looking signs, filled with maps and information (especially the one posted along the sidewalk on Main Street), will get people using the Greenway again.A senior at Oliver Wolcott Technical School, Kyle plans to continue his schooling by certifying in automotive repair. He and his dad restore cars together at their North Canaan home.He also plans to continue in Scouting.“I’m enrolled as an adult and I’d like to stay involved with Troop 22, maybe as a merit badge counselor to encourage others to go on and get to Eagle Scout.”
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Greg Fricke and James Boehmer, co-owners of Peggy Mercury in Kent, recently launched their first fashion line, “Imaginary Concerts.”
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Fricke and Boehmer are not there to stock their shelves with the same products customers find at standard makeup retailers. They’re there to help customers find what works for them. That usually means asking customers about themselves and learning about their beauty habits, skin, style and the way they like to present themselves. Fricke and Boehmer believe it’s their job to help customers bring out the qualities that suit them and determine what works best for their look.
So much of the Peggy Mercury world is about emboldening people to become more creative, and possibly bolder, versions of themselves. Some of this comes through the store’s creative collaborations with artists, designers and stylists.
It’s part of an ethos that encourages them and their friends to use the shop as a kind of laboratory, trying out new creative experiments without knowing how they might turn out. Whether in fashion, painting, fiber arts or photography, the projects almost always turn out marvelously.
A line of sterling silver charms they sell started as a small project by their friend Nolan Percival. In the beginning, the pieces were for close friends and loved ones. But Boehmer and Fricke encouraged Percival to get a little more serious about the project and create a whole line for the store. Today, it’s one of their top-selling collections.
Classic styles, bold colors, and creative concerts make up the “Imaginary Concerts” line at Peggy Mercury.Provided
“Imaginary Concerts” has the duo taking their own advice.
The project started as a way for Boehmer to connect with his mother, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Taking old concert shirts from his own collection, Boehmer and his mother began cutting out the graphics with the idea that they would make a quilt together. Unfortunately, she died before they could complete the project in 2025. The pieces, which were ready for production, were put on the back burner as Boehmer and Fricke dealt with their loss and the whirlwind of projects that never seemed to cease at Peggy Mercury.
But the harsh winter of 2026 presented an opportunity to take some time and focus on themselves. Part of that meant revisiting and redefining the concert T-shirt project. This time, instead of looking to the warmth and comfort of a quilt, they turned to another passion — fashion.
Taking a page from their own book, they wanted to create something that felt comfortable to them. They took two disparate loves — one rooted in simple preppy style, with clean lines and classic silhouettes, and the other in the nitty gritty worlds of punk rock and pop — and blended them together to create something entirely new. Pulling from the staples of vintage Brooks Brothers and Charvet collections, they applied the graphic elements with bold stitching reminiscent of punk jackets of the ‘70s and ‘80s, but with a much more sophisticated air.
But the remixing isn’t just the pairing of prep and punk. The pieces are not canon. They take liberties with the realities of concert tours, combining one band’s dates with another band’s logos, mixing them all up until the reality is lost and imagination is the only truth.
Shirts from Peggy Mercury’s first fashion line, “Imaginary Concerts,” hang on display.Provided
Adding to the mix is an element of perpetual creativity. Art can be messy, both figuratively and literally, and many of Fricke and Boehmer’s artist friends carry evidence of their work on them at all times. As a nod to these tireless creatives, the duo added haphazard splashes of bright color, giving the line an even more distinctive feel.
For them, “Imaginary Concerts” passes the “Peggy Test.” The mythical Peggy Mercury is a fictional figurehead for the company, a character who thrives on creativity and change. The name, much like the clothing line, is a mixture of interests: Mercury is a planet, a deity and an elusive, transformative element, while Peggy is the wonderfully stylish and boundary-pushing Peggy Guggenheim.
Everything Fricke and Boehmer put in their store has to pass this test: Would Peggy Mercury approve? For their first collection, the answer is a resounding yes.
Peggy Mercury is at 9 Maple St., Unit 2, Kent.
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