Rakes, a member of Troop 130, which
is chartered through Epworth United
Methodist Church in Moneta, has been
involved in scouting for more than 8
years and holds the rank of Life Scout.
For the Eagle service project, he
planned, organized and managed the
installation of four informational signs
along the nature trail and a message
board at the amphitheater at Dudley
Elementary School in Wirtz.
“I wanted to carry on the tradition
of many other Eagle projects already
at Dudley Elementary. I wanted to give
back to my old school,” said Rakes, 14, a
rising freshman at Franklin County High
School and Roanoke Valley Governor’s
School. “The goal was to make the trail
and amphitheater area safer and more
educational so the students and teachers
would utilize it more.”
Rakes said he and fellow members
of Troop 130 dug two-foot deep holes,
planted posts, filled them with dirt
and concrete and then attached the
informational signs along the nature trail.
At the amphitheater, a message board
was installed to assist Dudley teachers,
students and visitors by providing
them an area to display educational
information. Rotten timbers that bordered
the amphitheater also were removed and
replaced with new timbers, and weeds
that had taken over the seating area were
removed to make the area safer.
“Capps Home Building Center,
Lowe’s and Indigo Signs were all very
generous with my Eagle project,” said
Rakes, the son of Dexter and Jennifer
Rakes of Moneta, who hopes to finish
the requirements for Eagle Scout by the
end of the year. “I’m very pleased with
how it turned out. Having my fellow
scouts involved with the project made
it go smoothly. I really appreciated their
contributions.”
Stepping up to Eagle Scout
On May 24, Kyle Bidwell of Glade
Hill earned his Eagle Scout designation
at a Court of Honor conducted at Epworth
United Methodist Church in Moneta.
Friends and family joined members and
leaders of Troop 130 of the Blue Ridge
Mountains Council for the celebration.
“Receiving my Eagle Scout has been
the greatest achievement of my life. I
will remember for as long as I live, what
being an Eagle Scout means,” said Kyle,
17, son Joe and Betty Bidwell.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank
attainable in the Boy Scouting program
of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).
Fewer than five percent of Boy Scouts
nationwide attain the rank of Eagle,
according to the BSA. Requirements
include earning at least 21 merit badges
and demonstrating ideals of service and
leadership, including organizing and
leading an extensive service project.
Kyle, a junior at Franklin County High
School who aspires to work in wildlife
conservation, completed his Eagle Scout
Leadership Service Project in June 2013
by building access steps at Booker T.
Washington National Monument in
Hardy.
For more information, contact Troop
130 Scoutmaster Breck Hudson at (540)
721-5588.
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