Boy Scout Troop 1100 Eagle Scout Projects Enhance Nativity’s Grotto

The Nativity grotto continues to provide a place of prayer for Parishioners and visitors alike through the enhancements made by Nativity’s Boy Scout Troop 1100. In February of 2020, outdoor Stations of the Cross were installed as an Eagle Scout project planned and led by Evan Odell of Troop 1100. The Stations were installed in the grotto’s wooded area to provide a more engaging experience to meditate as well as enhancing the aesthetic appeal. To make the Stations more accessible when wet weather deters usage, the first phase of a 200 foot, three foot-wide path connecting half of the Stations of the Cross to the grotto’s walkway was recently completed as an Eagle Scout project led by Troop 1100’s Patrick Rooks. To meet the requirements of an Eagle Scout project, Patrick thoroughly planned all aspects, including determining material needs and costs, required tools and supplies, sequence of the project work and organizing volunteers. Patrick presented his Eagle Scout project plan to Fr. Bob for approval as the sponsor prior to the start of work. On the day of the project, Patrick briefed the volunteers on his work plan, safety considerations on tool usage, and COVID-19 social distancing and face mask protection precautions. Patrick organized the volunteers into teams based on age and experience to work different sections of the path and oversaw progress throughout the day, adjusting the workflow as necessary to keep his project on track. Under Patrick’s leadership and overcoming an overabundance of tree roots, a team of 30 Scouts, Scout leaders and friends expended over 270 volunteer hours to complete the path construction in a single day. This phase one path was constructed with over 5 tons of pea gravel and 50 eight foot lengths of steel edging with an underlay of nearly 3 tons of stone dust. The phase two path to connect the remaining seven outdoor Stations of the Cross is in the final stages of planning as part of another Eagle Scout project.

When phase two is complete in the next month or two, the path will provide easier access to the outdoor Stations of the Cross throughout the year.