Service hours vs. Eagle project

[aflmom]

Recently my ds started the preliminary work on his Eagle project. He wants to do a project to benefit a teen youth ranch for kids that need therapeutic care. He had some ideas based on their web site and 'needs' list and spoke with the owner. He's still waiting for his SM's approval, who has to check into it, since he's a new SM.

The thing is....he's disappointed with the project and sees it more as a service project vs. an Eagle project and wanted something a little more in depth although the youth ranch would like this particular project done. The place uses horses for therapy and needs some work done on their stalls. Essentially the stalls need to be cleaned out, either cement poured or limestone packed in and leveled, rubber mats put down, and then wood chips on top. They also need some fencing painted and sealed. He would need to raise money for the material.

We've discussed the difference between a need and a want and he would be helping with a need. Have other scouts been in a similar situation--wanting to do a larger or more unique project?

[wagionvigil]

The SM has little sa. the District Advancement Chair or is Smoe cases and Eagle Adv Chair makes the ruling. I personally nwould approve this project. Whn I did this a couple year ago a scout organized a blood drive. It was a worthwhile cause.

[aflmom]

To clarify....my son is disappointed with the scope of the project. I have no idea of how his SM feels since I didn't speak with him. Sorry for the confusion.

[wagionvigil]

Ok that is a totally different ballgame. The youth must be happy in the project so they are proud of what they do.

[2boysRscouts]

As the parent of child that has gone to equesterian therapy, I think this is an awesome project. It also has the potential to turn into something permanent, a yearly workday for volunteers at the ranch. I know it would be easier to build something and say, hey I did that for my eagle project. But doing good for others in life isn't always - I gave her my kidney. Sometimes, it's I watched her kids so she could give a kidney. But it all counts!

[FrankJ]

This may not be glamorous, but it looks like more than just clean out the stalls. The cement or limestone would be an upgrade. Getting is all done would show leadership which in the end what the project is about.

The scout also needs to happy with is project. After all it will be his project for the rest of his life.

[Lynda J]

An Eagle project fufills a need or want for a nonprofit group. So in most cases is really is a type of service project. I would suggest your son look at how the project will benifie the youth ranch. What assistance it will give them and how it will help their program.

I personally think this is a good project. As a member of our Districts Advancement committee I would have no problem approving this.

[aflmom]

Thanks for your encouragement, everyone. I'm going to share your responses with my son. Hopefully, it will help him to feel better about his project and view it in a different light.

[Sweetgj]

My son is hosting a pine wood derby race for a group at our church. The group is mentally and physically challenged adults. The scouts will be making the cars one weekend and then the night the group meets it will be

GATEWAY RACEWAY 2006

Scouts will make and serve dinner, help the participants decorate their cars, then race them against one another. At the end they will all receive trophies.

Last year they just did a race with the group and the excitment and joy they had was unbelievable. My son added the dinner and trophies to make it even more fun.

What your son is doing is a very wonderful project and if he would go and spend sometime there to see what those "camper" do and the joy on their faces, I think he will change his mind about whether it is worth wild or not.

I would like to add also that my son could be a participant in this group as he is mildly autisic.

[PPC_NYLT]

aflmom, let your son know that he isn't the only scout who has ever had that thought. I felt that way as I was developing my project. I build cabinets and shelves for the food pantry at my church, donated 361 food items and then the remainder of my donations, which was approx. $1500. I thought to myself that this isn't big enough, but I was wrong. I have volunteered at this food pantry since it started in 2001 and I knew that this food and money and cabinets and shelves would allow approx. 70 families totaling almost 250 people to have food for the month. He needs to ask himself, "What do they have now?" the he has to say "What will they have when I'm done?" That's what I did and that gave me more than enough satisfaction knowing that all my work touched even one person. I'm sure that his work will touch more than one person and he shouldn't worry because while the entire project isn't permanent (i.e. cleaning out the stalls) the experience will be. Please, let us know if there is anything else we can do to help. I wish him good luck in his endeavors and let us know what the outcome is.

[aflmom]

Sweetgj, it's wonderful that your son is hosting a pine wood derby for mentally and physically challenged adults. So many kids (and adults) are uncomfortable around special needs and this is a great opportunity to help them overcome that.

PPC_NYLT, thanks for sharing your experience and perspective. We're not sure if his project is going to be approved or not. The SM was speaking to district about it and they wanted to know if this was something the organization could or would do on their own if it wasn't an Eagle project. It didn't make much sense to me. A few of the scouts in his troop have painted or put up a flag pole. The church or the organization could have done the project without the scout. If they accepted those projects, I would think they would accept his. We'll see...
He could have picked a church to benefit from his project, but wanted to help another non-profit organization. Most churches are able to raise the money and man-power they need for projects.