Warren

Teen’s Eagle Scout project targets roof repair at church

By Brian Louwers
C & G Staff Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Sean Work Aspiring Eagle Scout David Woodward, 16, arranged a roof repair job to fix the garage at Warren’s Holy Cross Lutheran Church. His service project, completed last month, was but one of the requirements on the long path to becoming an Eagle Scout. Photo by Sean Work Aspiring Eagle Scout David Woodward, 16, arranged a roof repair job to fix the garage at Warren’s Holy Cross Lutheran Church. His service project, completed last month, was but one of the requirements on the long path to becoming an Eagle Scout.

WARREN — David Woodward didn’t have to look far to find the service project he was required to complete to become an Eagle Scout.

He only had to look at the leaky roof on the garage at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church on Ryan, where Troop 1916 is based.

“To do all the, like, going to each business place and asking for the materials we needed, it took me about three months to get all that together,” said Woodward, 16, a junior at Warren Mott High School who joined the Boy Scouts of America as a Tiger Cub Scout in 2007.

Woodward said the church put up the money for the materials he sought and acquired at reduced prices. A Macomb-based contractor later agreed to donate the labor, which spared the Scouts the task of performing the rooftop job themselves.

Troop 1916 and various church groups use the garage for storage.

The actual work was completed in one day Nov. 17, but the planning took much longer than that.

The road to becoming an Eagle Scout is, itself, very long and involved, and requires the acquisition of 21 merit badges.

It also requires letters of recommendation, a formal application and the completion of the service project that benefits a school, community or church.

“The garage is used by several groups at the church. It was an improvement project, and it got lots of donations; donations of services, basically, and materials,” Troop 1916 Assistant Scoutmaster Mike Isopi said. “David was able to acquire a construction crew. They were able to donate their time instead of the Scouts, who would be on the roof re-shingling. This crew tore off the roof, re-shingled the roof, did it properly. The Scouts helped with managing the site, cleanup, making sure everything was out of the garage.”

Woodward still must acquire two merit badges before he can stand before an Eagle Scout Board of Review.

“Along the way, you learn a lot of leadership skills that might help you out with your job later on,” Woodward said of his journey thus far in the Boy Scouts. “It looks good on a résumé for jobs, and it helps you get into a good college.”

Woodward said he would eventually like to pursue a career as a mechanic or as a football strength-and-conditioning coach.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Brian Louwers at brianlouwers@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1089.