Solutions Center Benefits From Local Scouts Effort

Kyle Holland is one step closer to becoming an Eagle Scout, and Solutions Center is the fortunate benefactor of his hard work and dedication.

As a Life Scout with Troop 702 in Fond du Lac, Kyle has his eye on becoming an Eagle Scout in the future. According to Boy Scouts of America, one of the many requirements for becoming an Eagle Scout is to “plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community.”

Kyle, 14, contacted Solutions Center last winter to inquire about the possibility of a partnership, and soon after, a plan to add secure storage in the basement of the Family Shelter was in place.

“He took care of everything,” said Executive Director Maggie McCullough. “I didn’t have to worry about any details.  He took the responsibility and made it happen.”

The task was eight months in the making. First Kyle had to have his project proposal approved by several levels of Boy Scout personnel. Then he had to come up with the funding.

“I sold a lot of candy and got a Lowe’s Eagle Project Grant,” Kyle said.

Build Day was March 29. Kyle, his family and a few scouting friends spent the day erecting a locked storage area with shelves enabling Solutions Center staff to store donations and supplies off of the basement floor behind a locked door.

“The best part of the project was Build Day – we got to do what we had planned for months,” he said. 

After building the storage area, there was more work to be done. Kyle completed a grant report for Lowe’s and then created a comprehensive project report describing his service hours, detailing funding, and discussing what went well and what didn’t. His project binder was recently presented to Solutions Center and to the Boy Scout organization.

Kyle, who is entering Grade 10 at Fond du Lac High School, wanted to do the project now knowing his life was likely to get busier as he got older.

“These projects are designed to reinforce leadership skills, give you hands-on experience, and the ability to plan and do something really big,” he said. 

His parents, Randall and Heather, supported his efforts.

“It was pretty exciting to see him step up to the plate, struggle through and learn a lot from the experience,” Heather said. “The best part for me is hearing how the project is being used and that it is helpful – serving a purpose and making a difference.”