Eagle Scout project benefits Russellville airport
by Kadin Pounders for the FCT
The Russellville Municipal Airport received a bit of a touch up this past weekend as Boy Scouts from Florence Troop 27 worked on the airport as part of an Eagle Scout project.
The project included repainting the segmented stones around the windsock and planting flowers and shrubs around the airport’s sign.
“I’ve tried to get other Scouts to do this project over the last 15 years, but nobody seemed to want to do it,” said airport manager Harry Mattox. “Work piles up on you, and I’ve never been able to find time to do it myself.”
Mark Smith, 15, planned, organized and led the project that would be his final step before becoming a distinguished Eagle Scout.
“This is something I’ve never had to do before in planning a community service project,” said Smith. “Grabbing supplies and talking to people about supplies, finding a date when everyone could work and getting people to help is something I’ve never had to do before.”
Smith, who was searching for a project to gain Eagle status, happened upon this project almost by coincidence.
“My brother, who was taking flight lessons, said the airport manager needed this project done,” said Smith. “I didn’t actively seek it, so I guess you could say I just came across it.”
The purpose of an Eagle Scout project, according to Scout Master Adrian Eckl, is to teach the Scout lessons he will need later on in life.
“In order to become an Eagle Scout, the final step is to do a big project. This is to demonstrate leadership,” said Eckl. “It’s all on them to do it, and they encourage you to do something different and creative, and Mark’s got a great project on this one.”
For pilots, wind is an important variable. The windsock at the airport allows pilots to gauge which direction the wind is blowing. Now with the segmented stones encircling the windsock all freshly painted, pilots will have a much easier time finding the windsock.
“I don’t know how many pilots I’ve heard come in and say ‘We couldn’t find your windsock,’” said Mattox. “The Scouts did a great job. You can really see (the stones) well from the air.”
The two-day project completed by Smith and the rest of his fellow scouts will serve pilots, the airport and the community for years to come.
