Jacob Korba, a senior at Chesterton High School and member of Chesterton Boy Scout Troop 929, recently completed his final Eagle Scout project at Opportunity Enterprises’ Respite Home. His overall project was multi-faceted and extensive, involving several smaller projects including building and staining a wheelchair-accessible picnic table and two Adirondack chairs, fixing ramps leading outside through the home’s front door and sliding glass door, replacing some wood panels that surround the home’s above-ground swimming pool, adding shelving inside the shed, and completing several miscellaneous tasks in the yard.
Korba’s project has been taking shape ever since 2010, when his mom saw an article in the newspaper highlighting another Eagle Scout who had done his project for OE. After talking it over, Korba did some research on-line about OE, and determined that he wanted to work with the agency to complete his project.
Planning the scope and details of his project was an involved process for Korba, who received a list of things that needed to be done from the manager of the home, and selected from there. As often happens in life, Korba faced a few twists and turns while working on his project which forced him to modify his plans several times. He stuck with it, though, and eventually completed his project at the end of August, 2012.
“The most difficult part of my project was the planning,” shares Korba. “The easiest part was building everything. I love working with my hands and constructing things.”
Like all aspiring Eagle Scouts, an important part of Korba’s project was coordinating help from friends, family members, and fellow boy scouts. After scheduling several different workdays, Korba communicated those dates and times to potential volunteers, and then supervised their work on-site.
“Jacob remained committed to the project and the results are fantastic,” said Cathy Kuchenmeister, Volunteer Coordinator. “We are grateful for his contribution to Opportunity Enterprises.”
“I have been involved in scouting ever since I was in first grade, and the biggest and most obvious thing scouting has taught me is leadership,” shares Korba. “You truly do learn how to be a responsible and organized leader.”
When Korba is not involved in scouting, he likes to run and work on cars. After graduating high school, Korba plans to major in biomedical engineering.
Boy Scouts interested in completing an Eagle Scout project with Opportunity Enterprises may contact OE Volunteer and Intern Coordinator Cathy Kuchenmeister at (219) 464-9621, ext. 283 or cathy.kuchenmeister@oppent.org.
About OE
Since 1967, OE has been a non-profit organization which enriches the lives of individuals with disabilities by providing exceptional support and creating meaningful opportunities that allow its consumers to serve as an inspiration to the community. Today, OE serves 1,100 adults and children with disabilities in Porter County and throughout Northwest Indiana. For more information, visit www.oppent.org.