Cadet Receives Congressional Gold Medal For Volunteer Work

Austin Balarin received a Congressional Gold Medal recently.

Balarin received the award for completing a nearly 750-hour long public service project, a .

Balarin pearheaded the recognition program in an attempt to preserve veterans’ stories so that future generations can have a first-hand account of what it was like to participate in wars fought in the 20th century. He spoke with veterans in New Jersey and six surrounding states and recorded their stories for preservation.

Balarin also performed preservation work on several of Wayne’s historical sites, including the , as part of the project.

Balarin is a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol, the auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.

Balarin also helped raise money to build a special home for the U.S. Army’s first surviving quadruple amputee.

He also had to complete a physical fitness challenge for the award. He ran three times a week, improving his 5-kilometer run time by 5 minutes.

Balarin received the award at the Congressional Award Gold Medal Ceremony in Washington, D.C. June 20.

Balarin spoke highly of the experience.

“The journey to earn the Congressional Gold Medal has helped me mature, learn, and have a greater appreciation for my country.”

Balarin and his mother Maria, last year. The event raised more than $5,700, which was donated to help support local emergency service personnel. The mother and son team are organizing another run this year.

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.