Photo of damage after Memorial Garden was vandalized. Statues and bird feeders were toppled, multiple memorial plaques were also broken and most tragically the falling of the cross, which the church was unaware was corroded at its base under its rock surround.

Planning promptly began. Here is a picture my mother took of me reading the instructions of the Eagle Workbook to get started on my Project Proposal. I spent over 2 hours in the car that day working on my Project Plan.

During the initial planning process I contacted two family members, Chip and Les Locke, whom are engineers. They were both a big help to draft an initial concept and Chip sent me this rough draft for showing to the beneficiary (the church).

The engineering calculations needed were more than Chip could do without a specific program, so he referred me to his old college roommate to help, whom owns CE Solutions. His firm completed the structural plan I needed, which confirmed the projects feasibility!

I took my plan to the Trustees at the Church and got their approval then took my project plan to my local Eagle Board and presented my project idea there as well.

The project was approved!

This drone photo is courtesy of David Brenton's Team. The beef of my plan was to re-erect the cross. Due to the existing concrete base, it was decided to move the cross to a new spot in the memory garden, about 10 feet north of it's previous location.

Also, to the side of the memory garden is an area with a barrier fence for the church's basement entry that was in much need of a scrape & paint. My plan included having my helpers paint the fence while my welder did his initial preparatory work on the cross.

At the north entry of the memorial garden was a line of bushes. Of which two of those were no longer alive. My plan included the removal of those and replacing them with six to eight boxwoods.

Donations started coming in promptly from my fellow parishioners once my promotional video was shown at a Sunday service and the donation link was given. With having funds so quickly I was able to get going on my project the following weekend!

A project isn't a project without the help of volunteers. I made up an initial schedule and handed out flyers to my Troop. I felt the love the following weekend when I had over 17 come out to help!

Thanks guys!

Lamb's-ear plants were removed from the area in which the crosses new foundation would be excavated, as well as an unwanted bush next to the fence. The dead bushes at the north of the garden were also removed that night too.

A small group of us, including my welder, Tom, my parents, grandpa and I arrived early at 8am to set up safety barricades around the area Tom would be working. Once setup, he and I promptly got started in shoring the cross up for torch cutting and welding.

My second cousin Tom using his oxygen acetylene cutting torch to remove the corroded end of the crosses beam.

Tom was also in scouts at my age!

End of the cross once removed.

It had to sit in that spot for quite awhile to cool before being moved (which was inside my safety barriers)

End of beam after being grounded down to prepare the edges for base plate and side gussets

Base plate and gussets all ready for install onto the beam.

Thank you to General Piping for the donation of these materials

Safety gear, including Caution Tape Barrier to keep helpers from other areas out, as well as a fire extinguisher

My Grandpa and Tom verifying plate placement to make the initial tack welds

Tom making great progress. He was able to weld all pieces on except the gusset on the bottom which he said he would need to complete on crane day.

What a beautiful site to see this phase come to light!

Thank you again to General Piping for the use of their gear and for the donation of the metal and other welding materials Tom used to weld up the base of the cross.

Thank you Tom for sharing your talent and labor. I fully appreciate all your prep, time and hardwork!

While Tom was working in the garden area Scouts and other friends/family members started to arrive around 11am to paint the fence and make the rebar insert for the concrete base.

Fellow scoutmates learned how to bend rebar around utility pole.

Template being made out of larger pieces of plywood for the rebar cage build as well as the smaller wood template needed for later to hold the anchor bolts in place when concrete will be poured at a later workday.

Scouts removing nails out of wood for repurposing, as a few were to be used on concrete day to hold the anchor bolts up when pouring concrete. All the while, other scouts helping to scrape old loose paint off fence to prep for primer.

Multiple scouts learned how to tie-in the smaller circular bent rebar onto the larger rebar frame

Rebar cage finished!

As one of my Eagle Coach's, Mr Crowel, always says "many hands make for light work"

Prepping for next workday by getting the anchor bolt template made for concrete pouring day!

Lunch/Afternoon Snack

Thank you Dawn for your donation of lunch!

Gary and Karen Fulk stopped by my workday to see the progress.

Gary is the brother of Dale Fulk, whom is the Vietnam soldier that the cross honors. It was gifted by his parents, Ellis & Betty Fulk, in loving memory of their son.

Fence got an initial coat of white primer then a top coat of brown paint.

Some impromtu weeding as the day wound down

Plus some impromtu bush trimming near fence/rear entrance of church

Thank you to all my volunteers!

(not all pictured)

Thank you all my volunteers!

(not all pictured)

Me with my dad and mom

Me with my Eagle Coach Dawn!

Picture of the photo sent in to "Call-Before-You-Dig" for the grounds to be marked for utilities. The request was sent in promptly after my Project Plan Approval in May to verify my next steps were clear of hazards

The grounds have limited entry/exit, plus the structural engineer called for a 9 foot hole, so I had to look at my options and ended up securing a company that performs hydrovac excavations

It is a precise, non-mechanical, non-destructive process that uses pressurized water and an industrial strength vacuum to simultaneously excavate and evacuate soil. As the pressurized water breaks up the soil it creates a slurry that is removed by a powerful vacuum into a debris tank. Most vendors can provide excavation service up to 50' deep

Water + mud = a Dirty job!

Thank you to US Hydrovac that not only heavily discounted their service but these two gentlemen also helped me and my other volunteers to get the (very heavy) rebar cage down in the 9-10' hole

Sonotube and rebar cage set in the excavation site.

Thank you to C&C Supply for the sonotube donation. They also referred me to USHydrovac, which was an integral piece to my projects success!

Anchor bolts had to be specially ordered as the 1" x 56" steel rods were spec'd with an ASTM A36 rating designed for heavy industry. The rating requires a minimum 36,000psi yield strength.

Brother and I taking rod assembly over to the excavation site to be placed in the hole while waiting on concrete truck to arrive.

The anchor rods were almost as tall as me!

Concrete from Shelby Materials arrived! The hole was supposed to be 9', but the excavation got a bit too deep, so I redid my initial calculations and asked if they could throw in an extra yard.

Thank you for the donation!

The hole was too far away for a concrete chute to reach so we rented a concrete buggy. My mom operated the buggy while my brother, grandfather and I pushed the concrete down into the very deep hole with shovels.

Grandpa and I admiring a days hard work that had to be planned around vendors schedules. Rain earlier that morning worked to my advantage as my excavators could still work in the rain, as they'd be getting wet anyway, and the concrete trucks window of availably opened up as other construction sites canceled orders due to their jobsites being too wet.

This day was my most stressful workday with weather, coordination of all my vendors (hydrovac/buggy/concrete) and just the physical manual labor and overall length of the workday. But my team and I persevered and got it done! Thanks mom, Nick & GP!

Me with our Church's Head Trustee, Howard Jameson before cleaning up and heading home for the night. He stopped by after work to check on our progress.

Boxwoods being planted in the area the two dead bushes were previously removed

Second coat being prepped for the fence.

Boxwood planting complete!

Fence painting complete!

(only half of the fence is pictured here)

CRANE DAY!!!

Prior to the cranes arrival, we used post drivers to put lighting rods into the ground for hooking up to and grounding the cross

Trustee Jameson and Gary Fulk waiting for crane to arrive and seeing how Tom and I were rigging the cross up with Tom's metal rigging cables

Final preparations to the concrete base were made including laying out all the hardware and tools needed to secure the cross once set.

Tom and Grandpa teaching me hand signals prior to cranes arrival. Given I am not certified in hand signaling though, the actual lift was signaled to the cranes operator by Tom.

The CRANE arrives!

Due to the size of the lift and it's reach there was not only this 40ton crane but it also came in tow with another full-sized semi with counterweights and other apparatuses

Let the lift begin!

The lift went beautifully! Watching the cross being suspended in the air was like watching a dance as it was slowly raised then carefully moved to it's new site and slowly lowered into position

Even with an early 7am start, about 20 onlookers consisting of church members, scouters, friends and Dales family came out to watch the lift. I ensured they remained in the lower parking lot during the lift for safety

Gary Fulk, the brother of SP4 Dale Fulk taking in a moment after the cross was risen.

Me enjoying a happy conversation with my Assistant Scoutmaster after the cross was back up.

Tom completing final welds

What a beautiful sight to see the cross back to it's original state. Actually it's new state... as the old cross was cemented into the ground whereas this new design will not corrode at the base as before as it is above ground.

Structural steel was painted with a rust inhibiting primer and received one additional high performance finish coat.

Me and my parents showing cousin Chip the final product. Chip was the engineer that helped me with my initial sketch. The photo also shows the final paint coat as well as the non-shrinking grout that was installed between the plate and concrete base.

After many weeks of putting my Eagle Workbook together, this is me going over the final draft with my father for proofing prior to my Eagle Pre-Board on November 4th

Our churches monthly Fellowship Dinner was the day before my Eagle Board and my Troop was asked to host the dinner. I invited my donors to come and honored those that could make it with a small token of appreciation. The other donor awards were delivered to each donor in person the day before Thanksgiving as I was off from school that day.

My Board of Review was held at St. Barnabas Church. I gave my Board my Chromebook to watch the video for my project prior to the Board of Review starting so this is a photo of me visiting with family prior to going in.

After my Board of Review and being told I made Eagle Scout!

Our District keeps a log of Eagle Scouts going back into the 90's. This is a photo of that log and...

Me having my turn to add my name!

For 2021, I am Eagle #22 in our District and honored to be the 2nd female Eagle Scout in our District. The 1st in our District was my friend and fellow scout troopmate Maura Sparks whom was award her Eagle in September!

The book in which I logged my Eagle Scout Rank also holds my father's signature from when he got his Eagle Scout Rank on April 22nd of 1993.

Family photo after my Board and Eagle Rank Advancement

Also pictured is me holding the base of the cross and the wood template used for the anchor bolts/concrete base.

My support, including my Assistant Scoutmaster, Dad, Scoutmaster (aka mom), and Brother

All the family that came to support me at my Board of Review including both sets of grandparents, my aunt and brother

After my Board of Review my family and Assistant Scoutmaster went out for a celebratory meal and I was given my Eagle Patch!

Contribution: Drone Footage

Contribution: Videography

Contribution: Structural Engineer

Contribution: Welding

Contribution: Hydrovac Excavation

Contribution: Sonotube

Contribution: Concrete

Contribution: Crane