BY CHRIS LIEN
Boy Scout Troop 105, chartered by the Mendon Fire Department, continued its impressive history of helping Boy Scouts earn their Eagle rank; the highest award in Scouting. In 2017, several boys attained their Eagle rank including Harrison James, Eric Williamson, and William Volkman-Lien. With each Eagle project, the village of Honeoye Falls and the Hamlet of Mendon continue to benefit from useful and impressive Scout led Eagle Projects.
Harrison, an active member in the HFL Robotics Team 2228 also known as CougarTech, saw the need for a larger storage area for the award winning team’s equipment. His Boy Scout developed and enhanced leadership skills enabled him to obtain donated supplies and to rally a number of fellow Scouts and HFL students to build safer and more organized wooden shelves that would provide the necessary storage needed for this successful team.
Eric Williamson
Eric’s passion has always been rooted in sports and the outdoors. A baseball player himself, Eric saw the need for a bull pen and batting circles for the Mendon baseball fields. His Eagle project involved a number of Scouts and adults working together to construct eight “on-deck” batting circles with wood bases that will be topped with Astroturf to outfit four fields, and built one pitcher’s bull pen to benefit the HFLM Youth Baseball Organization. These field improvements strengthen the youth baseball program and facilitate game play as well as improve overall safety by providing a dry, skid free surface for batters to warm up. By providing players this new customized area to practice pitching in simulated game conditions, Eric’s Eagle project will raise the overall level of baseball played at the HFLM Youth Baseball complex.
William Volkman-Lien
William’s Eagle project also leveraged various tools and techniques. St. Mark Lutheran Church wanted to enhance the property next door to the church by adding a picnic area that could be used for venues such as their chicken BBQ event in the spring and fall. William surveyed the members of the church and selected a picnic table design that would meet their needs. Through a successful fundraising effort and donations along with a group of dedicated fellow Scouts, William was able to raise enough money to fully cover the costs to restore the existing picnic table, build two new picnic tables, and created a beautifully landscaped area for seating that overlooks the creek behind the church.
Statistically, only 3% of Boy Scouts earn their Eagle Scout rank. However, thanks to the dedicated parents, leaders, and community support, Troop 105 continues to exceed expectations in producing future leaders for our community and our nation.
As you continue to encourage the success of CougarTech Team 2228, enjoy a baseball game at our newly enhanced community park, or perhaps enjoy a delicious chicken BBQ dinner at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church while dining outside at their new picnic area, hopefully you will take a moment to thank the Scouts of Troop 105 for the continued Eagle Scout projects that enhance our local community.
