Local scout nears Eagle status with project to beenfit Dover Public Library

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • September 24, 2012
  • 403
                        
Summary: Dover High School junior Mark Davis is close to Eagle Scout status thanks to the cooperation of the Dover Public Library. He completes a service project and they get a beautiful reading garden. Becoming an Eagle Scout is no small feat. It takes years of dedication and a commitment to scouting to in order to fulfill the six requirements that result in the highest honor bestowed upon the American Boy Scout. Mark Davis, a junior at Dover High School got started in scouting like most boys do as a cub scout working his way up the ranks. “Being this close to Eagle Scout status kind of snuck up on me,” said Davis. “I have been involved with scouting for ten years but I didn’t realize how close I was until my mom listed all the things I had already accomplished.” One of the final requirements on the path to Eagle Scout status is to plan, develop and give leadership to others in a service project. Davis’ service project seemed appropriate as a lover of books and an aspiring writer; he designed and executed the development of a reading garden at the Dover Public Library. Dover Public Library director Jim Gill had considered such a garden in years past but with a price tag nearing $17 thousand it was out of reach. Even with local merchants offering discounts he could never get the cost down to fit the limited library budget. “It seemed fitting to ask Mark if he would be interested in doing the project,” said Gill. “I am involved with scouting and thought of Mark because I knew he was searching for a service project to take on.” Mark’s dad Terry Davis beamed with pride as he spoke about his son. “It was Mark’s job to be the leader of this project. He had to organize it, approach others for help and make it happen,” said Terry Davis. “Along with the usual challenges of being a teenager Mark has Asberger Syndrome. He does things a little differently but through his hard work he has nearly completed the project. I am so proud of him.” In order to construct the reading garden Davis needed to remove a part of the paved parking area in the rear of the library. With the help of scouting dads Jim Dreher and Kelly Quillen of Dover Davis supervised as the generous men went to work removing the concrete. The two donated their time as well as their heavy equipment even springing for the disposal of the concrete as well as the cost of top soil that would fill the eight in hole left behind. Planting the perennial garden took place on Sunday, Sept. 23 while a bit of fog still lingered in the air. Fellow scouts Noah Hallman of Dennison, Seth Rieger of Dover, Austin Ross of Strasburg and Nathan Short of Dover as well as their dads spread soil conditioner, planted and applied mulch to the garden. The scouts were eager to assist as they were earning merit badges as well as helping an older, more experienced scout fulfill a lifelong goal. The final touch to the garden that includes ornamental grasses, sedums, Knock-Out roses and a spring-flowering crab apple tree will be a concrete table and benches for patrons to use at their leisure. “I was able to get all the plants donated from Rice’s Nursery in Canton. They also helped me choose plants suitable for the location that would be low-maintenance so the library employees don’t have to worry too much about them. They had software that allowed us to see what the garden would like before we even planted it,” said Davis. “My parents donated the mulch and the only thing the library has to pay for is the table and bench.” With the project nearing completion Davis still has one merit badge to earn, a lot of paperwork to fill out and then he will meet with review boards at both a local and regional level. “As much as I love scouting I will be ready for a break,” said Davis. “I have always dreamed of the day I would graduate from scouting and it looks like it is finally here.”


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