Landon Davison, a senior at Valparaiso High School recently completed his final Eagle Scout project at Opportunity Enterprises’ Appletree Group Home, where he built a 21 foot long wheelchair ramp leading from the back deck of the home into the backyard.
When searching for an organization with which to work, choosing OE was easy for Davison. “I am familiar with OE through its work in the community, and it serves a cause that is near and dear to my heart. I have a younger brother who is autistic and may be in need of their services someday,” he says.
After considering several project options, Davison took on the considerable task of building the wheelchair ramp. “I must say that I underestimated the level of commitment and labor this project would require,” shares Davison. “It ended up taking over 300 volunteer hours to complete, and involved fundraising, designing, and implementing a plan as well as coordinating and leading groups of volunteers. The vast majority of the hours put into the project came from my father and me, but I also had helpers come in smaller groups throughout the project time, and also coordinated two official work days.”
Davison is grateful for all of the help he received to finish his project, just in time for his eighteenth birthday. “Thank you to Troop 963 and Mr. Tony Mockus for all of their help. I would especially like to thank Mr. Mike Peters for motivating me to complete the project and giving me lots of his time, knowledge, and assistance along the way, and also to my father, Duane Davison, for providing so much labor, assistance, and, most importantly, companionship throughout the project.”
”We are grateful for the amount of time and effort Landon put towards completing this project,” reported Cathy Kuchenmeister, Volunteer Coordinator at OE. “Our consumers who use wheelchairs will be able to enjoy the back yard of the home now, without having to be pushed through the grass from the front of the house.”
When not involved in scouting, Davison is involved in many school activities including Cross Country, Speech and Debate, Team LEAD, Track, and Model UN. After high school, Davison hopes to study international relations, attend grad school, and take the Foreign Service exam while pursuing a career in Diplomacy.
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.
Since 1967, OE has been a non-profit organization which works to maximize self-sufficiency and enrich the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Today, OE serves 1,100 adults and children with disabilities in Porter County and throughout Northwest Indiana. For more information, visit www.oppent.org.