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On Eagles' wings By Melanie B. Smith Seth Limbaugh and his volunteer recruits spent a Saturday in April cleaning out flowerbeds, painting a fountain and other fixtures, trimming shrubs and otherwise fixing up a garden. For Limbaugh, the project is helping him earn an Eagle Scout award. For Athens First United Methodist Church, the work in its prayer garden meant the space once more is pretty enough for weddings, said the Rev. Jimmy Bassham, pastor. "It's an area that's long been cherished by the church. As can sometimes happen, it had gotten run down," Bassham said. Limbaugh, 16, a member of Troop 240, said he spoke to Bassham when he was searching for a project, because his troop meets at the church. He said the pastor directed him to the groundskeeper, who showed him the prayer garden's needs. In addition to painting the fountain, benches, lightpost and gate, Limbaugh and his helpers rebuilt a wooden planter. The result left him proud. First Methodist is his church, too. "(The church) has helped us and taught us so much about our faith. It's good to help it back," Limbaugh said. He said he still has to complete paperwork to finish the project. More aid Athens First Methodist isn't the only church benefiting from Scout projects. Scouts often arrange to take on church-related projects. Scout Leader Joe McDonald of Troop 240 said boys arrange to do Eagle Scout projects at churches once or twice a year in Limestone County. McDonald has served on the Eagle board for Arrowhead District since 2000. He said boys also have built stages, made infant changing tables, done landscaping and created picnic areas for churches in Athens and Limestone County. Other projects by Arrowhead District Scouts have helped churches and religious organizations across North Alabama. For instance, last year Andrew Biehn of Troop 260 made new signs for Presbyterian Camp Maranatha near Jasper, and Chris Moore of Troop 91 worked at the Neighborhood Christian Center in Decatur. In a neighboring district, the Talakto, boys remodeled a kitchen for a Madison church and repaired a storm-damaged fence for a Huntsville congregation. In Birmingham, Scouts pursuing the Eagle award built a playground at a Christian community ministry and collected eyeglasses to send with mission volunteers headed to Peru. A Scout even put in a BB gun shooting range at a Homewood church. National attention A Boy Scout in California recently took on a project that is making an impact nationwide. Evan Hunsberger updated a World War II-era devotional book, "Strength for Service to God and Country." He solicited new devotionals from religious leaders to add to those in the original book. United Methodist Men published it, and 250,000 copies are now in print. Hartselle First United Methodist Church is among churches providing the book, reprinted by Providence Publishing, to police officers, soldiers and others who serve. |
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