Troop 213 Life Scout Michael Benner, 17, of New Harbor, completed his Eagle Scout service project recently. Benner’s project was to beautify the grounds of the Wells-Hussey American Legion Post 42 in Damariscotta.
The Lincoln Academy senior organized two work days at the Legion hall on Oct. 24 and 31 to create flower beds and plant ornamental trees and shrubs. Fourteen people helped him with his project, including seven Troop 213 Boy Scouts, one youth, and six adults. He estimates 80 work hours went into the project.
Workers revamped existing beds with new mulch and dug up sod to make new beds. They replaced the old sod with a super-soil mixture which they planted the new vegetation in. Most of the work was completed on Oct. 24. A small crew returned on Oct. 31 to plant a few more items and mulch all the beds.
Benner said the idea of the project was to “create a memorial garden and make the grounds (of the post) look more appealing.” He said he chose the project to help the veterans’ group, which is the sponsoring organization for the Troop.
Benner has worked with his mother on landscaping projects the past two years and enjoyed the work. “It is kind of a hobby in the summer and on weekends,” Benner said.
Benner received donations and raised money to purchase plants and materials for the project. Moose Crossing in Waldoboro sold him some plants at 50 percent off. “They told me to come back a couple of weeks later and take what I wanted,” Benner said of plants that were donated to his project.
An arbor and a bench were also purchased with donated money. Benner said he will hold another work party to paint the arbor with a rubber-based paint to prevent it from rusting. It will be returned to the Legion hall in the spring and can be used for reflecting in the memorial garden.
Benner has been a camp counselor at Camp Hinds the past two summers, and before that was a camper there. He said being at Camp Hinds was his “favorite part of Boy Scouts. It has been the best part of my life. That is what I am writing my college essay about.”
Benner has big plans next year as a college freshman. He hopes to go to the University of Maine at Orono, major in chemistry and physics, and minor in computer science and education. He hopes to be able to work in the chemistry and physics field, with a fall back of working in computer science or teaching.
He will also apply to the University of Vermont, but is leaning toward UMO because “I have a lot of friends from (Camp Hinds) there and friends that are planning to go there,” he said.
Benner is the son of Mary and Troy Benner, and the grandson of Don and Pat Benner, of New Harbor.
