More than 120 Marine Corps reservists from Combat Logistics Battalion 25, based in Red Bank, New Jersey, partnered with Scouting America’s LaSalle Council for Operation Build Michigan at Camp Tamarack in Jones, Michigan.
As part of their Innovative Readiness Training program, the Marines expanded usable land, installed 3,200 linear feet of electrical, water and data conduit, and cleared more than 6 acres of trees.
Despite weather challenges and limited training weekends, the group completed 21,600 person-hours of training, delivering $98,000 in value to the camp.
The work enables Camp Tamarack to construct new facilities and serve more Scouts each year.
Learn more about this story on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website.
Eagle Scout acts for unhoused youth
As part of his Eagle Scout service project, Jason Herren organized a basic needs drive to support Port in the Storm, the only shelter in St. Johns County, Florida, that serves unhoused youth ages 18 to 24.
Motivated by the fact that more than 200 unhoused youth attend county schools, Jason led Scouts from two units based in Fruit Cove, Florida, in collecting food, hygiene items, undergarments and gift cards. They also prepared around 65 lunches to help address food insecurity. Local businesses, including Walmart, supported the effort.
The project raised awareness of youth displacement and demonstrated the values of Scouting through impactful community service.
Read more about this story on the Florida News Line website.
Scout rises to new heights with tower project
Max Webster, a Scouts BSA member from Troop 6 in Juneau, Alaska, recently completed his Eagle Scout service project — a newly constructed control tower at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center (LCCC) Firearms Training Center, for the Alaska Department of Corrections.
The project, completed after 14 months of planning and fundraising of more $10,000, provides instructors with a better vantage point for firearm training.
Max coordinated the project from concept to construction with support from local donors and LCCC staff. The tower will serve multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Juneau Police Department, Alaska State Troopers and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Commissioner Jen Winkelman and LCCC Superintendent Bob Cordle said the project will have a lasting impact by enhancing officer safety and benefitting the community for years to come.
Max says he aimed to create something meaningful and enduring and hopes to inspire younger Scouts by staying active in the troop after achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.
Read more about this story on the Juneau Empire website.
Eagle Scout builds memorial bridge for pets
After the real-life rainbow bridge in Lake Lure, North Carolina, was destroyed by Hurricane Helene last year, Susan Chesson, founder of The Big Paw Project, decided to build a new one in Wilmington.
She found the perfect partner in a Scouts BSA member working on his Eagle Scout service project.
Chesson and Scouts BSA member Andrew Fairfull restored an existing bridge in Greenfield Park so that it could serve as a memorial for lost pets.
Fairfull supervised the task of making repairs to the current bridge and cleaning up the area when the project was done. He also added two benches — one honoring fallen military and service animals and another commemorating pets lost during Hurricane Helene.
The Rainbow Bridge opened to the public in May, offering a serene space for people to honor their beloved pets.
Read more about this story on the Star News Online website.
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