Rory Boes? path to becoming an Eagle Scout ironically involved building a path for a local church.
Earlier this week, the 16-year-old Life Scout finished work on a walkway lined with patio stones at Christ the King Church located at 1550 W. Drahner Rd. in Oxford Township.
Completion of a service project such as this is a requirement in order to attain scouting’s highest rank.
The walkway is 25 feet long and 4 feet wide.
‘It runs along the side of one of the main buildings,? said Boes, a junior at Oxford High School and a member of Troop 366. ‘It connects two (existing) sidewalks.?
As a member of the church for about eight years, Boes often saw people cutting across the grass, so he thought it would be a good idea to put a paved path there to make things more convenient and safe.
He even created a little garden by it to enhance the overall aesthetics of the area.
‘He came up with the idea and it’s a very good asset (for the church),? said Bob Holt, pastor of Christ the King. ‘He’s done a beautiful job. It just looks wonderful.?
To make the path a reality, Boes solicited approximately $800 in donations.
He enlisted help from fellow Troop 366 scouts Joe Legault, Joe Wilkins, Steven Patterson, Brian Kostick, Max Charlton and Lance Kennedy. Assistance also came from Rob Charlton, Paul Boes, Sr., Paul Boes, Jr., Evan Tucker, Chase Boes, Tristan Measel, Dallas Winkleman, Rob Longo, Jerry Hale, Sarabeth Campagiorni and Denny Pleva.
Boes? Eagle project taught him the value of ‘sticking with it? and seeing something through to the end.
‘I couldn’t be more proud of him,? Holt said. ‘Often times our young people get a air amount of negative press (so) it’s really good to see a young person taking the initiative to do something very positive, very good for our church.?
Boes is close to fulfilling all the requirement to earn the Eagle rank.
‘I need two more merit badges and that’s about it,? he said.
Of the 120 merit badges available, a scout must earn 21 ? 12 of which are required ? to qualify for the Eagle rank.
‘I’ve always wanted to be an Eagle Scout,? said Boes, who became a Cub Scout in the first grade, then graduated to Boy Scout in the sixth grade.
Only about 5 percent of Boy Scouts climb the ladder to become Eagle Scouts.
More than 2 million have attained the coveted rank since 1912.
Boes believes more boys should participate in scouting as opposed to spending all their free time indoors, playing with electronic devices.
‘It’s a great experience,? he said. ‘It’s good to go outside, hang out with friends and learn new skills.?
Outside of scouting, Boes has been a member of the OHS Auto Club since his freshman year. He’s planning to pursue a career in the automotive field, more specifically, working on high-performance vehicles.
‘That would be fun.?