What a difference a single day can make when Scouts gather to tackle an Eagle Scout level project.
The entrance into Lord of Life Lutheran Church at 276 N. Roscoe Blvd. was transformed Saturday, Dec. 10, when BSA Troop 291 Scout Sofia McIntosh oversaw the creation of a flagstone walkway out of nothing.
“We’ve never had a proper walkway into Lord of Life,” said church council President Sheila Kolesaire. “We walked over grass to a concrete pad and then entered the sanctuary. But we’ve been aware for a long time that this isn’t easy for people with mobility issues, or even women in high heels.”
Sofia approached Lord of Life several months ago to discuss what needs the church had and was excited to take on a significant project to enhance the appearance of the church and improve accessibility. Flagstone was chosen for its relative ease to install, longevity and beauty. Troop 291 is chartered with Lord of Life.
“We had a dozen Scouts from my troop and others come out for about 10 hours to do this project, which involved a lot of measurements and calculations for the amount of crushed stone, flagstone, sealant and other materials we’d need to do this,” said Sofia.
She raised money for the project, including asking relatives to give her money instead of gifts for her birthday so she could add it to the amount needed. Stone Plus of Jacksonville also discounted some items to contribute to this project.
This is the third project there by a Scout this year, including a prayer garden and a Little Free Library station by Sofia’s brother.
Lord of Life Lutheran Church is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States with more than 3 million members. Church service is held in a rustic building that was once a stable and sits on seven acres of land.
