Boy Scouts go extra mile for Eagle service project
Becoming an Eagle Scout is no easy task. It takes years of discipline and commitment. It also takes a certain philanthropy.
Lakeside High School student Michael Johnson possesses all of those qualities.
On his road to becoming an Eagle Scout, Michael, 16, must organize and oversee a community-service project. He chose erecting mile markers along the bike path next to Evans-to-Locks Road that leads to Savannah Rapids Pavilion.
Michael enlisted a group of 10 fellow Scouts on Saturday to help him complete the task that will make him an Eagle Scout.
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"The mile markers were my dad's idea," Michael said. "He walks on the bike path a lot and I thought it would be a good project that would benefit a lot of people."
Lakeside High School's Michael Johnson organized a group of Boy Scouts to help him install mile markers on the bike path by Evans-to-Locks Road last Saturday. The scouts are Michael Massey (from left), Michael Johnson, Matthew Warnuck, Andrew Byrd, George Burleson and Trent Bailey.
Photo by Donnie Fetter
Michael got involved in Scouting while in the eighth grade at the urging of a friend. His three brothers followed his example and joined. His older brother, Dan, is already and Eagle Scout and assisted in the project.
"It's a lot of hard work to become an Eagle Scout, I know," Dan said. "You have to make a presentation to a panel of Scouting officials for approval, then he also had to get approval from the county. He did a good job."
Michael's father, Alan, is a former Scout and supervised, but did not participate in, his son's mile-marker project.
"Scouting has really taught my son's leadership skills," Alan said. "That's why I can't help. He has to do this on his own and take charge."
Barring getting a few more merit badges, Michael is expected to soon be an Eagle Scout and said the ordeal to get there has been worth every minute.
"This project has taken weeks of preparation," he said. "But I'm glad we're here and I'm glad we're getting it done."