Hinsdale – Two local Boy Scouts are helping out at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital
as they seek to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. Downers Grove North
High School seniors Kevin
Today and Sean Raines, both 17 years old and members of Downers Grove Boy Scout
Troop 55, chose to complete their projects at the hospital because of its
importance in the community.
Kevin put together a team that spent two Sundays
renovating a strip of land between the hospital’s south parking garage and
cooling towers. His group cleared debris, trimmed trees, re-routed a drainage
pipe, painted a fire hydrant, planted flowers and laid mulch on July 27 and
Aug. 3. Materials were donated by members of the community. He spent more than
100 hours planning the project, even meeting with local landscape architects
for help.
Kevin’s connection to the hospital is far-reaching.
His father, James, is the administrative director of facilities at the hospital
and Kevin is a longtime volunteer who as a Boy Scout at age 10, distributed
water to participants in the hospital’s annual 5K Rooney Heart Fun Run &
Walk. Last summer Kevin worked in the grounds, environmental services, biomedical
and construction departments as a junior hospital volunteer. This summer he spent a month working as a
painter in the maintenance department.
“When I set out to do my Eagle Scout project, I
immediately thought of Adventist
Hinsdale Hospital,”
Kevin said. “This place is almost like a second home for me.”
Sean, who said he “likes building things,”
organized a team that is building and painting 30 parking lot barricades that
will be used during the Rooney 5K and other public events. The collapsible
sawhorses, to be painted white with black stripes, will replace a garage full
of barricades worn from years of use.
“On the surface it may seem like a small thing,” said Lt. Miguel Luna of
the hospital security department, “but Sean’s project improves safety for
hundreds of hospital visitors.”
“We could use more young people like Kevin and
Sean, who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty to make our community a better
place,” said Alan Schneider, vice president/chief operating officer of
Adventist Hinsdale Hospital. Schneider worked with the boys on their plans. “Reaching
the rank of Eagle Scout is a remarkable achievement and we’re honored to be a
part of the process.”
Only 5 percent of all Boy Scouts achieve the rank
of Eagle Scout, the highest advancement rank in scouting. To earn the Eagle
Scout rank, a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership,
service, and outdoor skills. Famous Eagle Scouts include astronaut Neil Armstrong, New
York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and movie director
Steven Spielberg.