Local Eagle Scout receives national recognition for project
Hawk Mountain Boy Scout Council, which serves Berks, Schuykill, and Carbon Counties, recently recognized all Scouts who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 2017. In order to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank a Scout can earn, a Scout must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, hold a leadership position in his troop as well as plan and carry out a service project that demonstrates leadership. A total of 148 Hawk Mountain Scouts achieved this rank in 2017.
As part of the evening’s activities, Hawk Mountain Council selected Blandon resident, Derek Sadler of Troop 183, as the recipient of the National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year. For his Eagle Project, Derek designed and constructed two portages on the Tulpehocken Creek at Gring’s Mill Park. Derek and his team of 52 volunteers logged a total of 659.5 hours in order to complete the project.
The first portage is comprised of stone and concrete cattle grates, allowing people using watercrafts to safely exit the creek before the dam. The second portage is located after the dam and allows people to re-enter the water safely. It was constructed using historic lock stones that were salvaged from the Union Canal near Blue Marsh Lake and were originally mined in 1825 from a quarry in Lebanon. In addition to providing a safe entry and exit into and out of the creek for kayakers, the portages are also used by fishermen to wade into the water and now provides Spring Township firefighters with a safe location to transport their equipment to the creek to practice water rescues.
The project was made possible with funding from Run 4 Sam as well as assistance from the Berks County Parks and Recreation Department. Run 4 Sam is a local non-profit named after Samuel Reed who was tragically killed in 2007 by a drunk driver while attending the University of Pittsburgh. Gring’s Mill Park was Sam’s favorite place to run. Each year Run 4 Sam funds a project at the recreation area in memory of Sam.
Derek selected this project because of his love of water sports and recreation. His hope is that by constructing these portages, he will encourage others to be active in the water. Derek hopes that his project will remain standing for many years to come so future generations may enjoy it and so it can continue to honor the memory of Sam Reed.