Eagle Scout earns rank with Geneva gazebo restoration project

Daniel Atkinson, a senior at Geneva High School, earned the prestigious Eagle Scout rank on Oct. 23.

Eagle Scout is the highest rank of Boy Scouts and requires that the Boy Scout complete a service project. Statistically only 4 percent of Boy Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.

As a Boy Scout, Daniel has held several leadership positions with Geneva's Boy Scout Troop 36 and is currently his troop's Senior Patrol Leader. He quickly advanced in the ranks and has earned 41 merit badges. He has completed more than 100 service hours with various projects and charities.

Daniel's Eagle Scout project was to restore the Lincoln Highway Gazebo. The gazebo, a highly visible and often visited feature in front of Geneva's City Hall, is one of 16 interpretive gazebos along the 179-mile northern Illinois national scenic byway. Each gazebo has four panels that discuss the significance and history of the highway and the connection of the community to the highway.

As part of his project, Daniel communicated with the project representative the scope of the project, evaluated the supplies he needed, secured funding and communicated with his troop volunteers the requirements of the project. Over the course of two weekends with many troop volunteers, the gazebo received some minor repairs, and the wood was cleaned and sealed to preserve it. Daniel and troop members also help clean up the landscaping around the gazebo by pulling weeds and trimming overgrown tree branches.

An extra portion of Daniel's project included the installation of a steppingstone walking path connecting Geneva City Hall's naturalized flower garden to the gazebo. Visitors to the gazebo now have a direct path from the gazebo to the garden to better enjoy both features.

Daniel credits Troop 36 Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters, also Eagle Scouts, as an inspiration to his path to Eagle. Daniel has enjoyed every step of his journey to Eagle along with the camaraderie of his troop members and enjoys the memories of troop past activities and adventures.