Brandon Twp.- The township park landscape has a new addition thanks to a new area Eagle Scout.
Brandon High School Senior Alan Blackburn’s aspirations toward the highest honor awarded for scouting ended under a pavillion he built at the township park near the corner of Hadley and Oakwood roads. The scout court of honor, awarding Blackburn the Eagle Scout medal along with the deadication for his community service project, fundraising and construction of the pavillion at the park concluded on Sept. 12. as about 60 gathered for the cemenory.
‘I was looking for an Eagle Scout project to do,? said Blackburn, 18, a member of Goodrich Troop 340. ‘I was making dinner at the site of the park pavillion about a year-and-a-half ago after the Rotary Club just pour the concret for the structure.?
Blackburn then decided to take on raising about $14,000 to build the pavilion at the township park. The project was originally going to be built by the Ortonville Rotary Club, but after they established the cement base for the 30-by-50 structure in 2007, Blackburn moved forward with mission of fundraising.
Blackburn said the structure needed to be done by June 15, his 18th birthday, a rule required by scouts.
‘I could have asked for an extension, but we made it,? he said. ‘I figure we have over 2,000 man hours in the project. If there’s anything learned it’s I greatly underestimated the project’nothing is quite what it seems. None of this would be possible without friends, community, and family.?
Prior to beginning the pavilion project, Blackburn was a volunteer at the park, helping put in the parking lot, new benches and trash cans and planting trees. The park, he says, is a great place for the community to come together and play sports.
Following the dedication the pavilion was turned over to the township.