Scout project adds shelter at Barnes Preserve

A new structure constructed at Barnes Preserve will shelter visitors from the elements along one of the preserve’s walking areas, thanks to the efforts of a local Scout completing the requirements for his Eagle Scout rank.

Wooster resident Wyatt Moore of Troop 4061 recently completed the shelter in the preserve’s meadow section after more than a month of planning, fundraising coordination and construction work. The structure was designed to provide visitors with protection from rain and storms in an area farther from the main entrance.

Moore said the project involved significantly more planning than he initially expected, including developing blueprints, organizing donated materials and coordinating volunteers.

“It started with just kind of figuring out where to place it,” he said. “Then I went to Freeman Construction, and they drew up a blueprint for me. Then it was a matter of finding people willing to donate.”

According to Moore, all project materials were donated, while the construction required an estimated 150 hours of labor. Friends, family members and fellow Scouts assisted with the building, which included site preparation, concrete work, framing and roofing.

Moore, who has participated in Scouting for seven years, said the project represented the culmination of years of work toward earning the Eagle Scout rank. He is preparing to join the U.S. Navy, where he plans to undergo diver training.

Wayne County Parks District Commissioner Carole Van Pelt said the shelter fulfills a long-standing need at Barnes Preserve for visitors caught in bad weather while walking the trails.

“This has satisfied many requests of people when they get stuck out there in the rain, and they have no place to go,” she said. “As soon as Wyatt called me, I thought, ‘Yes, we have a shelter project.’”

Denver Stufflebeam, Moore’s Eagle Scout project adviser, said projects like the shelter demonstrate the personal growth and leadership development that are encouraged through Scouting.

Stufflebeam, who has been involved in Scouting for 53 years and has served as an adviser since 1993, said he has mentored numerous Eagle Scout candidates over the years.

“The reason I’m in Scouting is the satisfaction I get when I see what Scouts grow up to be. I have seen them become doctors, lawyers, teachers and one became a minister,” Stufflebeam said. “You don’t know what the kids are going to become, but it gives them the guidance, the morals and the standards to live by as they grow up.”

The shelter is one of several Eagle Scout projects completed at Barnes Preserve, which relies heavily on volunteers and donations for maintenance and improvements.

For information about Barnes Preserve, visit waynecountyparkdistrict.org.

Dan Starcher is the communications coordinator for Wayne County.