Chris's Crafters Corner: George's Eagle Scout Project

This page has been created to tell you about my Eagle Scout Project and to let you follow my progress. Any donation of funds to this project are tax deductible. I hope you enjoy your visit here and enjoy following my progress.

Below is a copy of my fundraising letter, please contact the webmaster to make donations. I greatly appreciate your support. I will post pictures and updates of my progress. Thank you for taking a look.

I am including some links with more information about bats, building bat houses, and information about White Nose Syndrome, which is a disease that is decimating bat populations across the United States.

                1) Bats
                2)White Nose Syndrome
                3) Bat Houses

How Close I am to reaching my goal:

NOTE: As I receive donations I will log them and be sending out acknowledgement letters later on. Please don't think that I have forgotten you. I appreciate each & every donation.

As I am now starting to get donations I have planned a work weekend in May for assembly of the bat houses & hopefully a day of installation as well. I am excited to get started on this project. I hope to install eight bat houses over the next few weekends.

I have my supplies ordered for my working weekend/overnight coming up; waiting to hear back from my contact at the lumber yard for a final price on the materials. I had to make one alteration, and that was to the height of the posts. I had to go with 12 foot post, because they do not carry 16 foot posts. Here's a photo of me ordering my supplies today.

More things are coming into place today. Reserved the pavilion for lunch and I meet with Sam to go over final placement of the bat houses in and around the park. Looking forward to getting everything completed. Made arrangements for pick-up of the wood supplies, commandeered the use of a table saw, have out to bring hand tools, drills, screwdrivers, etc. for the assembly process. Excited for the weekend!

May 16-18, 2014
I held my work days this past weekend. I am very appreciative to all of the scouts, leaders, and others who came out Friday evening & Saturday to assist with my project. I am very pleased with how things progressed. Here are a few photos for your enjoyment.

Here I am picking up the supplies from the local lumber yard.

Friday evening was all of the prep work. Also ran into an issue with the plans & the dimensions of the wood. The wood was cut dimensionally and not to the "standard" that the plans were written for...so I had to redesign the bat house on the fly. Instead of being a 4-chamber bat house, it became a 3-chamber bat house. I had also not gotten long enough wood screws based on the plans, luckily Dad had the correct size in his stash at home so that I didn't need to rush out to purchase more right away. Grandpa was helping me with the pre-drilling marks.

There was some on sight assembly required, too...

First one is installed...

it was a long exhausting day, but all seven bat houses were installed at Sunset Park;

one of the bat houses

a VERY relieved scout. No injuries, and very few problems to have been solved.

The majority of those who were helping on my Eagle project...THANK YOU!

I am still receiving donations from my original letters. A very HUGE thanks to everyone that is supporting me. To date I have installed 9 bat houses with supplies to build three more. Seven were installed at Sunset Park & Golf Course, one was installed at Londonderry Scout Complex. I have three others yet to install with requests for more. Each bat house costs approximately $80. However, I have been fortunate enough to receive donated materials as well which has helped tremendously with funds going further and allowing me to construct more bat houses. I am in awe at everyone's generosity towards my Eagle Project. This experience has taught me a lot about the people of the community and their willingness to help. So many of the residents and donors are very interested in learning more about bats & the ways in which the bats can help us. I hope that I am helping to change their minds about them that they don't feel they are "creepy" creatures and that they will come to adore them like I do. I am enjoying the process & helping to educate the community about bats.

A HUGE thank-you to all of those who have helped me along the way. Still so much to do. No job is finished until the paperwork is done. I am in the process of completing the paperwork.

Here's a photo of three generations of Scouts. My Grandpa, me, and my Dad. The smile on Grandpa's face says a lot. Thanks for the help along the way.

Three Generations of Scouting

July 21, 2014
My completed packet for Eagle and a photo album were turned in today at Scout headquarters in Mechanicsburg. Now to wait for my Board of Review...

September 1, 2014

I have my Board of Review on Thursday. Wish me luck everyone, this is the last step before I am finally an Eagle!

my Troop uniform

my Crew uniform with OA Brotherhood sash.

Thursday, September 4th, 2014

Tonight I earned my advancement to Eagle at my Board of Review. I am now considered an Eagle Scout! Many Thanks to all of those who helped me along the way on my journey to this point. Here's a photo from this evening.

My dad and I are the 1st in the same family from Troop 97 to earn eagle (2 generations of Eagles) - my dad earned his Eagle in 1981, I earned mine tonight. My Court of Honor presentation ceremony is scheduled for November.

Here's an example of my Eagle COH Invite:

(October 2014) - Mom also made an updated 12 x 12 Metal Panel with an easel back. She thought I'd changed my looks too much from the one she made a year ago. Mom also found a photo of me from Tigers to use for the inset photo. WOW, what a difference in my looks. I joined Tigers in September 2002. Eleven years to make Eagle.

(11/19/2014) - For those of you who will be traveling to my Eagle Court of Honor here is a link to a map & directions in case you aren't familiar with the Masonic Village campus buildings & roads. Looking forward to seeing you there. If you need further assistance please contact Mom or Dad.

View Larger Map

Yesterday (Sunday, November 23, 2014) was my Eagle Court of Honor. I wish I could say that it went off without a hitch, but what ever goes as planned w/o any issues? Things did go smoothly tho even with the minor issues. Here are a few photos from the day.

Sweet Bites

This is the cake that my Mom's good friend Ann made for the party afterwards. What a terrific job. Top layer was red velvet & bottom layer was vanilla. Such a COOL cake! Thank you Mom for the surprise.

Grandpa, Lizzie and PA Rep. John Payne. Mom managed to surprise me about Rep. Payne being in attendance. I never expected that, thank you Rep. Payne for taking the time to make my day special.

Stephen was assisting the MC with the trail to Eagle candle ceremony. Had to use battery candles due to facility rules. Thank You Stephen for being part of my day.


renewing my pledge

Pinning Mom & Dad during the ceremony.

Mr. Little Congratulating/Awarding me on my Eagle/achievements.

Aaron taking a photo for Rep. Payne. Love that Erin got this photo.

Dad awarding me with my neckerchief.

My good friend Rob Shirley took this photo and many others throughout the day. Thanks Rob!

This photo is a photo of myself, Stephen S. (on the left) and Steven L. (on the right). We all started Cub Scouts with Pack 98 together in 1st grade. We all have earned Eagle this year (2014) and we are Seniors. Steven L. earned his 1st in January with Troop 74, then Stephen S. earned his next, in May (I believe) with Troop 108, and I earned mine in September with Troop 97. There were 5 of us in my Webelos Den that earned the Arrow of Light (including all of us); and we were the only 3 to continue on to Boy Scouts. All of us have achieved Eagle and 3/5 = 60% which by far beats the National average for 4% achieving the rank of Eagle. A huge debt of gratitude to our Den Leader, Mrs. Fulton. She played a major part of making scouting 'fun' for us and kept us interested through our Elementary school years. Thank you to our families for their support over the 10- 11 years and encouragement along the way. And thank you to all of the Scout leaders and others along the trail to get here.

Last evening (Tuesday, November 25, 2014) was the 5th Annual Eagle Dinner for New Birth of Freedom Council. What a banquet! Here are a few photos from last night.

We announced our name, troop number & our hometown at the start of the banquet. There were 266 Eagle Scouts this year (2014).

Mr. Lavery was the one who did much of the fundraising for the banquet and planning for the event. Others from HERCO & Scouting were saying how quiet he is (was)...they must know a different Dave Lavery than what I do. I still see him at my Blue & Gold Banquet when I bridged to Boy Scouts dressed as Confucius. What fun & Good times.

The holiday decorations were gorgeous at Founder's Hall.

A few last photos from the night for Mom & Dad.

No blue sneakers this time - this made Mom much happier!

Here's a video link to view the banquet if you like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HVe1KPVSIw Be sure to check it out around 1:57:24 to view my information. Yes, they really butchered the spelling of my last name! It should be H-E-B-E-R-L-I-G. My fellow Den members from Pack 98 also achieved Eagle with me this year. Steven from Troop 74 is in the video at 2:04:14 and Stephen from Troop 108 is at 2:14:02 Way to go guys! We beat the National average of less than 6% we're at 60%!

2/2/2015 - This Monday evening George attended the Londonderry Township Meeting and was presented with a Resolution from the Board of Supervisors. Congratulations, George! We all are so proud of you.

10/23/2015 - This morning my Mom, Grandpa Jake, & Grandmam took my plaque over to Sunset Park & installed it on one of the bat boxes for me. Now I can say that my Eagle project is officially done! Check out the rest of the photos. Thanks Mom, Grandpa, & Grandmam.

Grandpa had to drill 4 holes into the post to hold the plaque. Bolts attached to the back of the plaque and then were fastened on the back side of the post.