Eagle Scout project builds kiosk on Pilot Hill
Eagle Scout project builds kiosk on Pilot Hill
By Eve Newman
Laramie Boomerang
Via Wyoming News Exchange
LARAMIE — Visitors to the Pilot Hill parcel may find navigation a little easier these days thanks to a pair of informational kiosks built by Jack Drew for his Eagle Scout service project.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank a Boy Scout can achieve, and one of the requirements is to complete a service project that benefits a community or religious organization.
Drew finished the kiosks this fall, and a dedication ceremony was held last weekend. One is located at the east end of Willet Drive, while the other is near the intersection of 45th and Crow streets.
As Drew brainstormed potential organizations to work with last spring, he reached out to Jill Walford, a member of the Pilot Hill board of directors and his teacher when he attended the University of Wyoming Lab School.
Sarah Brown Mathews, executive director of Pilot Hill Inc., said her agency had a few ideas for Drew, but signage was the largest need.
“Getting well-built kiosks was one of our top priorities,” she said. “We were really excited that Jack was interested in that process as well.”
The Pilot Hill parcel opened to the public about a year ago after the state completed a land swap to acquire the open space from a private owner. Since then, several miles of trails have been built with more in the works.
“As the Pilot Hill area’s popularity grows and more and more visitors come to enjoy the area from across our county, the state and the region, these kiosks will provide a great introduction to the recreation corridor,” Brown Mathews said.
With guidance and feedback from the Pilot Hill board, Drew researched materials and finalized a design that received the board’s approval.
“He really took his time to make sure he was designing a kiosk that would meet our needs and the unique properties of Pilot Hill — and also would withstand the wind, quite frankly,” she said.
Bloedorn Lumber donated the materials for the first kiosk and offered a discount on materials for the second one, allowing Drew to come in under budget.
Drew scheduled three work days and recruited fellow Scouts and their parents as volunteers. On the first day they did most of the heavy lifting, using an auger to dig 4-foot-deep holes for their 6-by-6-inch posts, each 12 feet long, which they anchored in the ground with concrete.
Drew returned later to attach signboard, and then got another group of volunteers to stain the kiosks. He estimated he put in more than 200 hours on the project, along with help from many volunteers.
“It was so cool to see everybody working together and putting something up that I had planned for months,” he said.
Troop 137 Scoutmaster Ben Jordan said the Eagle Scout service project requires a Scout to demonstrate leadership, dedication and citizenship, among other character traits. Drew had to work with the city of Laramie and the University of Wyoming during the planning process, in addition to the Pilot Hill board.
“When a Scout has a community-minded vision, people are often very willing to help and become part of that vision,” Jordan said.
Drew had his Board of Review earlier this week, which is the final step in the Eagle Scout process.
“I’ve been a Scout for over nine years, so the majority of my life,” he said. “All that was build-up to these few months here where I’m working on my Eagle Scout stuff.”
Brown Mathews said the final product fits the character of the area perfectly.
“We’re thrilled with Jack’s work and commitment to the Pilot Hill Project and honored to be a beneficiary of an Eagle Scout-caliber contribution,” she said.