Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable by a Boy Scout. On June 14th, 2014, Gianni LaVecchia of Troop 599 in the Hurricane District took the last step in attaining Eagle Scout rank when the troop delivered two mounting steps, four benches and a tic, tac, toe, sensory board to Whispering Manes. All the items were planned, built and constructed under Gianni’s leadership.
Sharlene, Gianni’s mother commented, “Gianni’s project is the culmination of a nine year journey on the way to Eagle Scout.”
In order to complete the project, Gianni had to identify an organization within the community to support, determine the needs of the organization, identify the project and have it approved by the organization, raise the funds to complete the project, organize and oversee the project completion and deliver the project.
Gianni LaVecchia and scouts from Troop 599
With the support of Scout Master, Phil Engelmann and the 22 scouts in Troop 599, Gianni hosted a car wash to raise the funds to purchase the materials necessary to construct the items. He also solicited the donation of an outdoor tic, tac, toe board from Nuovo Biologics. Gianni also organized the two days of construction to needed complete the items.
The items that Gianni and Troop 599 constructed greatly enhance the program at Whispering Manes. They will be useful to the program for many years to come and the tic, tac, toe board is the first outdoor sensory object that will installed in Whispering Manes’ newly planned sensory trail.