Eagle Scout project benefits lacrosse program

Londel Lucas, a senior at Sisters High School, recently completed a project that will officially make him an Eagle Scout. Lucas organized and oversaw the building of a storage shed for the lacrosse program.

Lucas has been a Boy Scout since fifth grade and after 10 years of hard work and dedication has earned 21 merit badges, which is the requirement for earning Eagle Scout status, the highest honor that a Scout can receive.

The 21 merit badges, which have two to 15 requirements each, include completion of a variety of projects. Major merit badges include: environmental science, swimming, life saving, emergency preparedness, first aid, and citizenship in the world, nation and community.

Lucas told The Nugget that organization was the hardest part of the project.

"I needed to get plans, and everything had to be planned out in detail and I needed to find people to donate materials, like Hoyt's, Steve Hunt and other various companies," said Lucas. "I also needed people to help with the actual construction."

Lucas rounded up a crew of more than 50 volunteers who were involved in the project. The 12-by-16-foot shed was built in 12.5 hours over a two-day period. The entire project, including the planning and organization, took Lucas over 30 hours.

Lacrosse coach Bill Rexford was thrilled with the final results.

"What Lucas did for our program is tough for us to describe," said Rexford. "We needed this shed. With around 150 students playing lacrosse, safe, organized storage for our gear is paramount. We probably would have paid to get this done at some point, but that would have just come from increased dues or a charitable contribution. In the meantime, we would have limped along doing the best we could with the current situation. Lucas and the Scouts pushed us to the next level. That shed is going to be there for a long, long time and I will think fondly of Lucas and the Scouts every time I go in there."