2014 James's Eagle Project

One of the great moments in scouting is the Eagle Project.  Ostensibly it is all for one boy, for his advancement, yet an entire scout troop pitches in.  Granted there are collateral benefits.  They boys volunteering their time also get service hours credited towards their own advancement.  For most of the boys though, they have already completed their service requirement and are there for the simple reason that they are supporting their fellow scout.  Call it paying it forward.  The scouts climbing the ladder helping out the boy on the top run in the earnest hope, that when they hold that position, the climbers behind them will follow suit and aid their project. 

This wonderful phenomenon happened once again for us this summer as James completed his Eagle Project.  The project was to build four planter boxes outside the YMCA building at Jack London Elementary / Piner Olivet Charter School (they share a campus).  It was the quintessential Eagle Project. 

When the troop approached the site, it was an unpromising field over grown with weeds.  In the days before the project, the field was mowed and rototilled to make it ready.  As the day of the event dawned, the troop descended on a field dotted with wood, mulch, and bark.  Most of the scouts attacked the field, leveling the site and excavating holes for the planted bed boxes to fit in.  Meanwhile a cadre of older scouts and leaders assembled the pile of lumber into the boxes.  Each crew worked their area and the sites were ready at just about the time the boxes were.  Then it was time to plant the planter boxes in the ground.  This necessitated a bit of fine tuning as the holes weren’t always exactly where they needed to be. 

As the first boxes were planted, half of the field crew

moved over to wheelbarrow duty carting loads of mulch for the pile delivered to the boxes.  Others joined in from the other direction, carting wood chips from another pile to finish the site.  This continued till all four of the boxes were settled into their locations.

Then it was time for lunch and a well earned break. 

When everyone had refueled and recharged, it was time for the dash to the finish.  The boxes were done and now it was just moving the mulch and the wood chips into place.  Wheelbarrows, shovels, and rakes were flying back and forth as the piles disappeared.  Finally the last handful of workers toted the final loads of mulch and the site was cleaned up.  Another successful project for the troop!

Participants: Landon, Bryce, Owen, Sebastian, Diego, Carl, James, Matt. Marcus, Adam, Mitch, Andrew, Devon, Joseph

Leaders:  Mr. Polkinghorn, Mrs. Reese, Mr. Frazee, Mr. Baier, Mr. Bell, Mr. Franceschi, Mr. Brisgel, Mr. O'Brien, Mrs. Perez, Mr. Morris, Mrs. Simmons, Mr. St. John, Mrs. Baier, Mrs. Mobley

Lessons Learned:  It's always amazing what the troop and do all together.  Don't eat too much junk food at once.