bridge builders

When Josh was younger, he did his Eagle Scout project on the day before his 18th birthday.

 

He vowed he wouldn't make that mistake again when his boys were going through scouts, so he's been helping Ammon work on his scout requirements in order to help fulfill that vision.

 

Ammon is 13 years old, and his Eagle Scout project is done; he completed it during the 2nd week of June. Josh needed some new bridges built for the golf course to replace some old, broken ones, and it was the perfect opportunity for volunteers (aka scouts) to do the job.  Ammon agreed to do that as his Eagle project, and was glad for a chance to improve the local golf course.

 

The local steel company fabricated two metal bridge frames. Then Ammon made a materials list and went to the lumber store & hardware store with Josh to pick up lumber, paint, stain, nuts, & bolts.

 

He had two of his fellow scouters (& friends) come out to the golf course one night, and they painted the bridges and stained the wood together as Josh & I went golfing.

Then he called most of the scouters in his troop to ask for their assistance the following day, after the paint had dried, to assemble the bridges. We thought we'd have a good showing of boys, but it was just the same two boys who came out to help him again. Josh cut the boards into lengths that fit the span of the bridges, and then he drilled holes through the wood & metal. The boys then took an air compressor to blow out any shavings off the bridge, and they attached the wooden planks to the metal frame with nuts, bolts, & washers.

After all the wooden planks were attached to the bridges, most of the edges of the wood that had been cut needed to be stained again.

Then it came time to transport the bridges onto the golf course. Josh used his work loader to carry the bridges to their locations using chains.

Ammon took a golf utility cart, and carried his friends, shovels, and rakes to the spot on the golf course.

 

Ammon's scoutmaster Justin Williams helped Josh transport the bridge.

This is one of the old bridges that needed to be replaced spanning a ditch on the course--it was rotting and was unsteady. The new bridge is the entrance to the #2 green.

Josh & Justin maneuvered the bridge until it was in just the right spot.

Then the area around the bridge needed to be leveled, so Josh & Justin used their muscles & some shovels to get it situated just right.

Josh brought over a load of sand to compact the area on both sides of this bridge, and the first bridge installment was complete!

Then we took a break from it, it was a hot day, and we were all tired. They'd been working in the sun for 3 hours, so I treated them all to sno-cones, and they cleaned up their work area and went home.  Ammon went back with Josh the next day to install the final bridge. It stands next to the new #1 men's teebox. Then they took out both of the old bridges that were falling apart, and the project was officially complete.

We've heard lots of compliments about the nice, new bridges on the golf course! I'm so glad that Ammon was able to do a project that he felt pride in doing, and that he will always remember--since he's a golfer, he will always have the visual reminder of the work he completed on the golf course for his Eagle project. It wouldn't have been possible without Josh's help--I'm so grateful he's been so instrumental in helping Ammon stay on task to obtain his Eagle. He should be able to receive it this fall!