Eagle Project

Well...it's over. One down...two to go!

Mitch had his Eagle Project pretty much just handed to him (and me) on a silver platter! More than 2 years ago I was the Troop Committee Chair in our ward and was put on all sorts of Scouting lists. I haven't had that calling for 2 years but somehow I stayed on the BEST list!

Out of no where, I got an email from this list. From a Kyle who said that a Shari who said that a Brenda was looking for a couple of scouts to do an Eagle Project. I replied saying I had a scout and it was down hill from there!

Mitchell's job was to solicit gift donations for a group of boys at the Canyon State Academy Boys Ranch. Click on that link to visit Mitch's Eagle Blog and find more information on the Boys Ranch.

He was given 28 boys originally but then Brenda called later on and asked if we can take on 4 more boys. So in all, Mitch provided Christmas for 32 boys. We made the blog with a list of the boys and the 3 things they wanted. The boys were given a list of simple things to choose from...journals, basketballs, cards, board games, photo albums, etc.

Our friends and family could look at the list and pick a boy to sponsor or pick and choose some gifts to provide. We also set up a PayPal account for people far away (and near) to donate money to help us purchase things that weren't donated. We also used the money to buy wrapping paper and bows.

After we received all the donations we had a wrapping party with the youth in our ward. We used some of the donated money to pay for pizza for that party BUT Mitchell went to our local Papa John's and Little Ceasars and got 1/2 donated!!

Rylee's Activity Days group donated homemade cookies they made during one of their meetings. We also had other cookies donated (thanks Trish!) and candy cane bunches made for each of the boys (thanks Kristin!).

Then the night came when we took the Scouts in uniform to deliver the goods. It was an AMAZING night! It was fun to watch the Scouts watch how excited these boys were to receive such humble gifts. We had our Scouts spread out and sit with the boys during dinner. They were shy at first but after a few minutes they were all talking and laughing together.

My heart was full

Here's Mitch with most of the donations

Simple stuff like board games and basketballs

Books (love the Twilight series? someone really wanted them!) were also on the list

Before the wrapping party

Mitch at Papa Johns

and Little Ceasars

11-year Old Scouts wrapped too
Daniel Myers, Cooper Small, Aaron Scott and Chase

We invited the Young Women to our party

Mmmmm...1/2 price pizza

Shelley Palmer helps more YW

Wrapping fun!

Cody Yorgason is a goofball

How many Scouts does it take to wrap one present??

Kristin Halterman helped wrap and made the candy cane clusters

The finished table with the sign in book

Wrapping by the fire

Bonner Yorgason is a goofball too
Jason Jarvis helping Bonner get something out of the pool

Mitch and Matt Martinez

Mitch and Scott pose with the volcano behind the pool

More wrapping Scouts

Thanks for helping YW!

When we loaded the van with all the wrapped goods it took up all but the front seats!

Mitch and I counting up his service hours

Special Thanks goes to the Jarvis family for letting us have the wrapping party at their backyard paradise!

Loading the Baldwin's HUGE van to deliver the gifts to the boys

Bro Jarvis, Scott, Braden Jarvis, Cody Yorgason, Brian Albretson, Jett Tumanuvao, Kyle Idso, Bonner Yorgason and Stetson Baldwin join Mitch for the delivery