Eagle Scout Projects

Matthew Cambron: Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Steven Shipner: St. Jude walkway

Nick Diegel: Camp Columbus outdoor chapel

Eric Flerchinger: Normal Park Museum Magnet School

Matthew Givens: 21st Century Academy School

Chris Leonard: Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Ronan Cahill: Nature Center at 21st Century Academy School

Brian Douglas: The Alexian Brothers Valley Residence Wildlife Gardens

Mark Estabrook: The Pumpkin Patch PlayGround, Signal Mountain Tn.

Peter Teruya: Red Bank High School Special Needs Class Computers

Andrew Flerchinger: Point Park/Sunset Rock Trail Restoration and Erosion Control

Stephen Lutes: The widening of Gum Spring Trail

Robert Campbell: Potatoes for Thanksgiving Baskets

Spry Baltz: Kiddie trail on Lookout Mountain

Steven Reidinger: Chattanooga Nature Center Deer Enclosure

Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Matthew Cambron

My Eagle Project took place out at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Soddy Daisy. The project consisted of five mini-projects. These projects included digging a ditch for an exterior sinks drain line, constructing a small set of steps to a barn door, replacing four rotten building supports on a pavilion, painting the maintenance tool shed, and building a guardrail (it's really a handrail, but to avoid legal issues we called it a guardrail) from the main parking lot to the exterior parking. From the start of the first work day to the end of the last, it took just under a month to complete. However, we had been discussing the projects with the church since last May. With just over 300 work hours, I have heard from many people that it was a well executed project.

St. Jude walkway

Steven Shipner

I did my eagle project at St. Jude on the walkway behind the 1st and 2nd grade building. I replaced the wooden handrail with 70 feet of steel hand rail. Then I put in a 12 by 5 foot sidewalk to connect the existing ramp and the other concrete pad. Then I put a 70 foot retaining wall that is two to three blocks high. Then I installed a french drain behind the wall. Materials were donated by Miller Industries, Drain Right Guttering, Home Depot, Shelton Landscaping, and J and L Plaster, with monetary contributions from the Knights Of Columbus and Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Thompson. Thank you to everyone who helped with my project.

Camp Columbus outdoor chapel

Nick Diegel

This Eagle Service Project was the design and construction of an outdoor chapel located along the waterfront at Camp Columbus in Lakesite, TN. The construction of an outdoor chapel would allow Scout units and other groups that camp at Camp Columbus a place to use for worship services as well as to allow any visitor a place for meditation in a serene setting. The chapel consists of four rows of benches with seating for 64 people and an altar on a raised platform for Mass, which were constructed from treated lumber. The chapel was named in honor of Father John O'Neill who served as the Chaplain for the Tennessee State Knights of Columbus and was a great supporter of Troop 172. Private donations as well as support from Councils #610 and #8576 helped pay for the construction. A total of 194 volunteer hours were spent building the chapel and the first Mass was held on August 28, 2004 when Troop 172 and Troop 115 from OLPH held a summer Court of Honor and campout at Camp Columbus with Father Mike Nolan as celebrant.
Since being built, there have been several weddings that have taken place at the chapel.

Normal Park Museum Magnet School

Eric Flerchinger

The Eagle Project depicted here remodeled two rooms at Normal Park Museum Magnet School. One of the rooms will be used as an "E-Portfolio" room, where all the students can make their presentation and be recorded by a camera and then transferred to a CD for when they graduate from school. All the walls had to be painted an off-white color and all the trim painted teal. We also built a raised platform to act as a stage and risers for the students to sit on. The risers also had to be carpeted. The second room will be used as a computer room where students can work on their computer skills. In this room, we also had to paint the walls an off-white color and the trim was also painted teal. The school was highly appreciative of the work we accomplished. Good job and many thanks to those who put forth time and effort to help in the completion of my Eagle Project!

21st Century Academy School

Matthew Givens

This Eagle Project refurbished a classroom at 21st Century Academy. The room was in a terrible state before the work was done. The walls were peeling, the ceiling was sagging and had water damage, and the room had little storage space. The entire room was painted with three different colors to the liking of the teacher. The troop gave much support and time towards this project. Money to fund this project was supported through the parishioners of St. Jude and the troop purchasing mistletoe. The school students now enjoy the use of this classroom and thank our troop for all of its help.

Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Chris Leonard

The project I did was clearing and building two mediation trails. The main work day was held the weekend of March 7, 2002 on the property where Holy Spirit Catholic Church will one day be built. The troop scheduled a campout on the property that weekend at the church. We had forty people, armed with saws, mattocks, shovels, rakes and picks and axes assembled on the hill outside of the woods under very overcast skies. We all worked hard digging and clearing and raking until we could see the trail taking shape. A second workday with 12 people was held on May 4th. We were able to finish both trails.

Nature Center at 21st Century Academy School

Ronan Cahill

The Eagle Project converted a previously unused space at the back of 21st Century Academy into a nature area. Two greenhouses were assembled and installed a pond with plants. The entire area was then mulched and a stepping-stones path was put in. The school acquired the parts for the greenhouses and donated some money. Donations were solicited from businesses to complete the project. Many people, including Scouts, friends, and even some young people visiting from Northern Ireland (for the Ulster Project), helped complete the Project. Working together everyone had a great time. The school is very appreciative for the Project. Many thanks to everyone who participated.

Congratulations to the 50th Eagle Scout in Troop 172. Standing next to him is the troops first Eagle Scout, Jerome Erpenbach.

The Alexian Brothers Valley Residence Wildlife Gardens

Brian Douglas

The Alexian Brothers Valley Residence provides care for Alzheimer's patients. Full-time residents and day care residents are housed in separate wings. Each wing has its own screened-in porch and access to a fenced, grassy area with sidewalk. The residents can sit on the enclosed porch or walk in the yard in good weather to enjoy the outdoors. The Eagle Scout service project is to plant four wildlife gardens in the courtyard of the Alexian Brothers Valley Residence. The gardens will be designed to attract a variety of wildlife, especially butterflies and hummingbirds. Wildlife is abundant in this suburban area because a large wooded area is located immediately behind the residence. Because a fence divides the courtyard into four areas, four wildlife gardens are necessary to allow residents seated on the porches to view the wildlife. Many people, especially the elderly, enjoy watching the activities of butterflies and birds. The gardens will give the residents an enjoyable way to spend time. If wildlife is successfully attracted to the gardens, the residents can sit on their porches and observe the visitors.

The Pumpkin Patch PlayGround, Signal Mountain Tn.

Mark Estabrook

The Pumpkin Patch is popular playground for children. When it was first built several years ago, sealing the wood was not completed as scheduled. For along time, The Pumpkin Patch board has been planning to do this themselves, but the weather has always undermined their opportunity. Also, they have added few new features to the all wood playground. One of these added features was a ship, which has not yet been painted. The Eagle Scout Project will consist of sealing the wood of the Pumpkin Patch and also painting the ship, which is to be played on by many youngsters of the Signal Mountain, Walden's Ridge, and Chattanooga communities. The project will benefit the young people of Signal Mountain and the surrounding areas. The Pumpkin Patch is located directly behind the Walden Town Hall. The address of the town hall is: 1836 Taft Highway Signal Mountain, Tennessee 37377. The Eagle Project will benefit this group because by sealing the wood on the playground it will preserve it and keep the wood from rotting.

Red Bank High School Special Needs Class Computers

Peter Teruya

Red Bank High School has expressed a great need for computers and other related electronic devices for their classroom used by students who have learning disabilities. Unfortunately the funding for computers for that department was cut. The project I plan to undertake is to get donations of computers and printers and restore them to working condition so the students will have the technology they need. Starting this project will involve contacting local businesses and obtaining used and or broken computers and salvaging the usable parts. Secondly, it would involve fixing the computers and working with the school on the wiring in the special education room. The final portion of the project would involve installing the needed software and programs on the computers and placing them in the special education room for the use of the students. The school needs 5 to 10 computers for this room.

Point Park/Sunset Rock Trail Restoration and Erosion Control

Andrew Flerchinger

Point Park is a popular place for hiking and climbing. The biggest attraction is Sunset Rock, where a very. large number of people go to climb. With the large number of people coming and going, not everyone is respectful of the land. Erosion is prevalent all around the base of the rock. A project was proposed a year or two ago to restore the area. National Park staff has been working with the help of numerous other volunteers to complete the project. 1 plan to help finish it. A six-wheeled ATV needs to fit up the trail leading to the rock to carry the supplies. The trail needs to be widened so it will fit. Only a small area is left to be widened. Closer to Sunset Rock are six steps installed years ago to help with erosion and make hiking up the steep part easier. The problem is, the ATV cannot make it up the steps. The steps will have to be removed with care, because the concrete slabs are still intact and could be use~l elsewhere. Various plants, mulch, and other materials will then be moved up to Sunset Rock. The park will hopefully have two hundred volunteers Cot Trail Day to install all the materials. I will be in charge of a group.

The widening of Gum Spring Trail

Stephen Lutes

The widening of Gum Spring Trail, which is located on top of Lookout Mountain at Point Park, is my Eagle project. Point Park is a part of the Chattanooga National Military Park, which was established between 1890 and 1899 under the authorization of congress. Five National Parks were established at this time: Chickamauga and Point Park, Shiloh, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg. The Chickamauga and Point Park were first and are the largest, most other national parks are based on the development of these parks. The Gum Spring Trail connects Sunset Rock and the Upper Truck Trail. We will be widening the trail to 50 inches wide, that will allow a 46 inch wide ATV (all Terrain Vehicles) to carry 700 lbs. of dirt to the bottom of sunset rock. Denis Curry, the ranger who asked for my help in getting Boy Scouts to help preserve Sunset Rock, will help me. Also some rock climbers will help me. Since Sunset Rock is a worldwide used climbing spot, I will probably only widen a 200-yard section of this trail. Everybody will benefit from my project, but mainly the rock climbers and hikers who come to this area. The Rangers will provide the necessary equipment and they will also provide food if we get over 75 people. I would like to get 25 boy scouts to help on June 6, since this is the day before National Park Day. I will do some work with some boy scouts before then.

Potatoes for Thanksgiving Baskets

Robert Campbell

I plan to plant enough potatoes to fill at least fifty Thanksgiving baskets for needy families designated by Catholic Charities. The potatoes will be planted in a field belonging to a friend of our family. Before I plant, I will visit the owner of the field to get permission. A soil sample will be taken to be analyzed by the University of Tennessee Extension Service to make sure the soil will support the potato crop. I will also obtain four 50-pound bags of potatoes to plant. The money for the purchase of the potatoes comes from Boy Scout Troop 172, which normally donates $50 to Catholic Charities for the Thanksgiving baskets.

Kiddie trail on Lookout Mountain

Spry Baltz

I plan to do some trail work on the kiddie trail on Lookout Mountain. The trail is in badly need of some water bars to stop the erosion along the top of the trail. I will take long timbers and lay them across the trail. I will then drive into the ground in front of them some re-bar to hold the timbers in place. These water bars should effectively stop the erosion of the trail as well as provide steps to make hiking easier. The bottom part of the trail is also in bad shape. The trails first couple of hundred feet have decayed and washed away. ! plan to carve a new trail to circumvent the decayed portion and connect it to the part of the trail that is in good repair.

Chattanooga Nature Center Deer Enclosure

Steven Reidinger

The Chattanooga Nature Center has a request from the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Association to construct a deer enclosure to help rehabilitate sick and injured deer. This project will require first, obtaining the materials needed to construct the enclosure and transporting the materials to the Nature Center. Since the Chattanooga Nature Center has limited funds for the project, attempts will be made to have most of the materials donated. Second. clearing the area of underbrush and rocks in preparation for construction. Last. the actual construction of the enclosure. The enclosure will be 20' x 20'The sides will be made of tree slabs. In one corner will be a protective covering (roof). In the opposite corner there will be a sliding gate for loading and unloading the deer. There will be a feeding and watering access for the deer.