Overview

In 2014, as partial fulfillment of the requirements of the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, I planned, developed, obtained approval for, and led the construction of four concrete benches that sit next to the main parking lot at the Valley Springs Community United Methodist Church. This project was the crowning achievement of my scouting journey and allowed me to develop and display my leadership skills. In all, the project took over 300-person hours to complete with the gracious help of 16 hard-working volunteers. With the help and donations from local businesses--thank you especially to Calaveras Lumber and ACE Hardware in Valley Springs--we even managed to complete the project under-budget.

Day One

After more than six months of planning, getting approvals, and rounding up donors, equipment lists, and supplies, the project finally started on a sweltering September day. The goal of the first workday was to measure the four sites and clear the holes for the benches.

Laying the Foundation

Almost two weeks later, on the second day, we constructed the foundations for the four benches. The base consisted of a gravel layer topped with a concrete slab. To reinforce the benches, we put steel rebar lengthwise inside the slabs and connected to the sidewalk in addition to a steel wire mesh. To keep costs low and match other benches at the location, we used cinder blocks as the legs for the benches.

Pouring the Top

After the foundations settled around two weeks later, we began to pour the tops of the benches. This was by far the most difficult part of the project, requiring more time than we originally anticipated. Rather than pouring the tops offsite and delivering them to the worksite, we opted to pour them onsite using a custom-designed mold, each made to fit a specific bench.

It was also on these days when we all realized just how sloped the worksite was, necessitating three separate levels to ensure a comfortable seat. In all, it took more than a month before all four benches were poured. Between the fourth and fifth workdays, a sudden bout of rain didn't help; however, no damage was incured.

From Concept to Project

Building these benches was far from easy. Requiring approval from my Troop Committee, the project beneficiary, the regional council, and half a dozen different people in between, I had to balance the interests of multiple stakeholders, documenting every penny spent and every hour worked. In total, it took sixteen volunteers more than three hundred hours to build these benches.