Daniel LaRose, a junior at Chaminade High School, is an Eagle Scout candidate in Boy Scout Troop 55, which is sponsored by the Cathedral of the Incarnation. His Eagle Scout project took place in Islip for the United Veteran’s Beacon House. UVBH helps veterans find affordable housing here on Long Island.
Scouts recently gathered together to help LaRose complete his project, which entailed building a shed and a picnic table in a backyard of a home in Islip where 10 veterans share the rent. The men will use the new shed to store bikes and belongings that don’t fit inside the house. Ten scouts and five adults worked tirelessly all day to erect the shed. A base had to be filled with slurry and leveled, a thankless job of shoveling.
Under LaRose’s effective leadership, the shed was constructed in one day, in addition to the Scouts building and staining a picnic table for the veterans to use in the backyard. To enhance appearance of the property the house was power washed, a task the Scouts enjoyed the most on such a hot day.
The project would not be possible without fundraising to buy the shed and the picnic table from Home Depot. LaRose, his fellow Scouts, and friends sold “Support Our Troops” wristbands at a booth during the Belmont Fair on Garden City’s 7th Street last June. Wristbands were a big hit at Belmont among old and young alike. Between wristband sales and donations from the community, he was able to achieve his goal of purchasing the 8×10 shed and new picnic table for the residents.
United Veteran’s Beacon House is a non-for-profit organization that provides housing and supportive services to the nation’s veterans. The goal of UVBH is to help those who have defended our freedoms to live full independent lives. UVBH has positively impacted the lives of more than 4,650 veterans across Long Island since 1994.
LaRose chose his Eagle project to do his part in giving back to veterans for their selfless service. He would like to thank the Garden City community for its support and Troop 55 for such hard work to make his project possible.
