Photos & updates

September 29, 2023

This was my first visit to the site outside of the Autistic Support classrooms at the Colonial Early Learning Center. This visit gave me the full scope of what was possible and helped me plan a sensory friendly outdoor space. 

Since the site was a blank slate, I could do almost anything I imagined, as long as the shed remained. From the start, I knew that I wanted to make two play areas - one in front of the shed and one behind the shed. I also wanted to make some sort of sensory walkway to connect to the classrooms. 

More importantly, I wanted to remove the orange fiberglass pipe, but didn't want to make it part of my project proposal in case I couldn't make that happen.

On 6/29/24 I held a successful clothing drive that earned $675 toward completing my Eagle Project. Although it was short of my ideal goal of $1,000, it is still a great amount toward completing the train feature. That will be the first phase of the project to start. Photos of that phase and more info will follow. 

I am grateful to everyone who helped directly, dropped off clothing, or simply helped spread the word. 

Beginning in early August, I was able to start planning a Bingo Fundraiser with the help of the non-profit Every Ribbon Counts and Dryland UCC who allowed me to use the church facility. 

My part of the preparation is getting 21 BINGO prize baskets and selling as many tickets as possible for the event. I was able to call a whole lot of businesses and many of them were generous and donated giftcards and prize items. Companies that donated are: Shammy Shine, Josh Early Candies, Red Robin, Shop Rite, Regal Theaters, Sheetz, Iron Pigs, Tuscana's Pizza, Starbucks, Tips To Toes Salon, and The Spot Drive-In. I was able drive all around town and pick up donations, while my mom made them into gift baskets and made them look great. 

I was able to sell a lot of tickets and after the event concluded, I raised over $1,200 toward the play area at Colonial Early Learning Center. 

8/30/24

I met with Mr. Phil Gianficaro of Lehigh Valley News. He seemed genuinely interested in my story and why I chose Colonial IU20's Early Intervention Program as the beneficiary for my Eagle Scout Project. 

I am eager to see the story and hopeful that it brings some attention to the vital services provided to preschool children at Colonial Early Learning Center.

8/31/24

I had my first workday at my house with our Boy Scout Troop 76 and some of my neighborhood friends. 

We were primarily working on sanding and painting the wood pieces to build the train. I had a lot of help and made quite a bit of progress.  

9/8/24

My second workday at my house with Boy Scout Troop 76 and we started to make real progress on building the train. 

9/15/24 - The Capital Blue Grant is Awarded

The $2,500 Capital Blue Grant was the largest single grant that I was awarded toward completing the project at Colonial IU 20 Early Learning Center (CELC). The grant information was brought to me by Gregg Potter and thankfully, Dr. Christopher Wolfel, the Executive Director at Colonial IU 20 was able to complete the necessary info just under the deadline to be considered. One recipient is selected for the Live Healthy School Grant and I was notified in June 2024 that my project was selected!! I was thrilled and grateful, as the bump in funds really made the high cost of this project, seem within reach! The funds were awarded in mid-Septemeber 2024, just as I was really getting started with purchasing big ticket items. Perfect timing.

10/9/24

With the help of everyone at the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 542 excavating began, which helps to put me in a good position to complete the project within my target of the end of the year. 

These gentlemen volunteered their equipment, labor, and expertise. This was the largest single contribution as another excavator gave me a cost exceeding $5,000. Another excavator was willing to do it at cost for $2,800, but was not able to start the work until 2025. 

I am beyond grateful to everyone who was able to make this happen. 

10/11/24 

I was able to get all of the rubber mulch delivered and visit the site to see the completed excavation. 

My mom and I made multiple trips for stone before we realized we were going to need a stone delivery, as we were going to need tons of stone. 

I was sure to take a picture where the large pipe was removed.  

10/13/24 

My family and I spent another workday assembling and painting the wood pieces to make up the train feature. 

In the afternoon my neighborhood friends helped me bring all of the borders to Colonial Early Learning Center. It was quick trip onsite, as there were four of us uloading everything. 

10/17/24 

I was fortunate enough to have A.J. Trunzo & Sons lay the underground drainage pipe in the area of the playset. The special order drainage pipe and connections from Home Depot arrived the day prior and I was able to get all the drainage pipe and the T-connections on site the night before. 

The guys at A.J. Trunzo were finished in one day and I was very relieved because I am eager to begin the process of installing borders, stone base, screening, and the playset.   

10/20/24

I had a lightly attended work day, as our Troop was already committed to the Bethlehem Running Festival on Sunday, 10/20 but I did have some help.

At this stage in the workflow, I am glad for any help because although a lot has been done since the start of October, this site looks far from an outdoor play space. 

My biggest help on this day was my neighbor coming to the site to offer some guidance and muscle with placing the large playground borders. 

11/3/24 

This work day is focusing on getting the one small      L-section of the sensory walkway border complete and the rubber border that surrounds the future train area.  

11/10/24 

This is my biggest workday with my Boy Scout Troop 76. My neigbors, the Preletz family were also a huge help with getting all of the rubber mulch in place in the area of the Lifetime Playset. 

There were three main areas that needed to be simultaneously worked on, so one adult was assigned to each area, with my role being there for oversight and available for questions that arose. 

It was amazing to see things really taking shape in one day. It is incredible to see what can be accomplished with a team of people!  

11/16/24 

We have been so lucky that the weather has worked in our favor so my family and I can keep working toward completing the sensory walkways. 

I was also able to finish some touch ups to the train, but for the most part my mom is the painter. 

11/30/24 

I was able to get a topsoil delivery in time for a workday November 30th. I asked for help from anyone across the Internet and had lots of people show up to help us with getting the topsoil placed. 

This is one of the final steps to completion.