Eagle Projects!

This past Friday and Saturday...

Josh & ...

Tanner ...

(and Super-Clover)

spearheaded each of their Eagle service projects in our community. This is the last major task on the "trail to Eagle", Scouting's highest rank and award. The project requires planning, developing, and organizing a service project to benefit the community, environment, or worthy group. The proposal must be written and approved by at least three local, district, and council leaders before beginning. Other scouts and community volunteers must be utilized, with at least sixty combined hours of contributed service.

Josh's project on Friday involved cutting down over 1,500 dry cornstalks, tying them into bundles of three,

loading them into a large enclosed trailer, and hauling them to a local neighborhood park...

where they would be utilized in the 24th annual traditional Fall "Pumpkin Walk". This is a seasonal week-long community event, filled with artistic and creative displays, and is enjoyed by thousands of people from school, church, & community groups of all ages.

Everyone wanted a turn at the machete!

The Grim Reaper?

Tanner's project on Saturday included pounding in T-posts,

stringing barbed-wire,

unloading,

and tying the cornstalk bundles along the temporary fence to serve as a decorative border along the pathway.

There was a great turnout of volunteers for both projects - about 27 on Friday and 25 on Saturday. Tanner and Josh each ended up with over seventy total service hours! The weather, for the most part cooperated - with some light rain on Saturday - better than the rain & snowstorm of last weekend! The doughnuts and hot cocoa helped keep everyone working until the project was complete. There were no injuries to speak of - and everyone left with all fingers intact!

We did have to spend some time afterward plucking sticker weeds out of clothing and hands - There was some kind of weed mixed in with the cornstalks, which was just evil! It looked innocuous enough, with a fuzzy looking head, but it had sliver-like pieces with microscopic barbs which instantly stuck and burrowed into everything they touched. We are still finding slivers in our hands two days later!

Now Josh and Tanner have to finish the rest of their required merit badges, and pass an Eagle Board of Review prior to receiving the actual award. Although the end result is something to be proud of, the Eagle Project is more about the process, as it teaches planning, organization, leadership, delegation, communication, Scouting values & ideals - as well as the value of community service!

A big THANK YOU to all who participated!