Eagle Scout project there for kids in need

MILFORD – Eagle Scout projects often provide shelter or a place to visit, new Eagle Scout Dylan Hoffman’s recent project provides much more.

He recently earned the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank after building a playground for People’s Place Women’s Shelter.

“The purpose of my project was to give the children of the shelter something to do when the weather was nice; to have fun and play in a safe environment,” said Mr. Hoffman. “After two long days, and much of my own time and my father’s after that, the swing set was completed.”

The project took about 200 hours to complete.

Mr. Hoffman joined the more than 2 million other scouts that have earned the rank since it was created in 1911 in May.

“My aspiration to be an Eagle Scout started in the infant stages of my scouting years. I saw what others did as Eagle Scouts, what being an Eagle Scout got them, what it meant to them, and I wanted in. It’s a step forward when it comes time to apply certain skills, when entering a business, and creating a resume. It could mean getting your foot in the door at any workplace,” said Mr. Hoffman.

Beyond learning skills that will help him in his future, he said he was just proud of the accomplishment of completing the rank.

“Getting my Eagle Scout award is my biggest achievement. There’s a lot of pride in being able to say ‘I am an Eagle Scout.’ Becoming an Eagle Scout takes perseverance and an incredible drive and motivation to get it done,” he said. “Once I finished building a five-star swing set at a battered womens’ shelter in an undisclosed location, the paperwork started and kept flowing. That’s where the motivation to finish is needed the most.”

Managing Editor Logan B. Anderson can be reached at landerson@newszap.com. Follow @LoganBAnderson on Twitter.