Hailey Philippy is an Eagle Scout candidate who’s ready to unveil her Eagle Scout project at Aspen Park in Gaylord.
“First we had to find a plot of land to put it so we reached out to the city manager,” said Philippy. “Once we got all our information for that we went to city council to have our project approved and over the last couple of weeks we did the bulk of the work on the actual land."
Before they started work on the land, it was just an overgrown area on the side of a trail at the park. But now, it’s a memorial featuring a garden, flag pole, stone tribute and a bench for people to relax on.
“The memorial is dedicated to everyone, not only those who have been lost to COVID-19 but everybody who has been impacted negatively,” said Philippy.
The stone was the focal point of the Eagle project, but she almost wasn’t able to have it due to the cost. However, with tremendous help from the community, it was all made possible.
“We were able to complete the project with a budge of $8,000, but it was estimated to be around $35,000,” said Philippy. “That’s a testament to the amount of support we’ve received.”
But what Philippy learned throughout the project is priceless. She says the biggest skill she learned is leadership skills, and that it was almost the most difficult thing for her to learn.
Philippy is proud of her work, but her father is almost prouder. Philippy’s father was in Boy Scouts growing up but never made it to the Eagle Scout ranking.
“It is everything I have ever dreamed of as a parent to see my children exceed my accomplishments, so for that, proud is the only word that I have that encompasses it,” said Brian Philippy.
Philippy’s Eagle Scout project dedication is on Saturday at 6:30 pm at Aspen Park in Gaylord.
© 2023 - 910 Media Group
