Kubota skid steer used for Eagle Scout project

When Kobi Shurtz joined Troop 848, he knew he was in it for the long run. The Boy Scouts of America have had the most significant influence in his life “It has prompted the most growth from me as a person through leadership positions and other responsibilities” Shurtz says. That’s why it was a no brainer for him to stay involved in the organization until he attained the highest rank possible as an Eagle Scout I.

Finding the right project

To earn this ranking, the scout must plan and demonstrate his ability to develop and provide leadership for a community project. When Kobi was selecting his project he knew he wanted to do something special, “I knew that I wanted to do something for my church (St.Clare of Assisi) as they had just gone through a huge remodel and construction and they still needed a lot of help. That and the fact that I was already a member of the St.Clare community made me feel obligated to do something to help the Church.” he says.

As an avid churchgoer and member of the St.Clare of Assisi congregation, he wanted to use this opportunity to give back. After consulting with the Deacon, they had agreed upon Kobi building a new garden bed to adorn the church.

The process

Lansdowne-Moody generously lent Kobi a Kubota skid steer for his project. With the help of this powerful and easy-to-use hydraulic equipment, he was able to dig the garden bed even with no prior experience with using this type of machinery prior to this project. “The basic functions I needed from the skid steer are very easy to manage, and the controls are very straightforward and intuitive,” he says. Kobi was able to build the garden bed which will be 1600 sq ft and 8 inches deep, with a total volume around 40 cubic yards.

The reward

“Eagle Scout Project itself has helped me a lot in improving the professional communication and organization skills needed when working with others in the real world. That and building confidence and initiative, if you want something done, go out and do it yourself. The world runs off of us as a community, and we need to be the change that we want to see.” he says. Kobi hopes to pursue mechanical engineering in the near future and hopes to continue serving his community as a scout for life.

We are delighted to be a part of this project and helping Kobi Shurtz achieve his Eagle Scout merit status.