For the last four years Danny Benson, along with his
classmates, has had to stand in the mud at Cheyenne St. and Copper Cove while
waiting to catch the bus for Bret
Harte High
School. Thanks to Danny and several other people
who donated time, money and materials, students now have a bench to sit on and
a cement platform to stand on.
It started out as a Boy Scout Eagle project for Danny
Benson. Although putting in a bench sounds like a simple project, nothing is done
in a vacuum. First, Danny had to pitch his idea to the Eagle Scout Board in Lodi. Once he got their
blessing, he had to contact the property owner, the Homeowner’s Association and
the fire department for their approval and permission. Having passed those bureaucratic
hurdles, he then started raising money.
Danny Benson (in black hat) with friends Chris and Matt Nelson and completed project.
He got donations by knocking on doors, collecting cans and
asking teachers for help. Even his
father got in the act by putting out a donation can at his work. The local Ace
hardware store and Calaveras lumber helped with discounts. The property owners,
Dave and Julie who also served as his mentor, donated the pavers. Even with all
these donations Danny’s family and other students still had to come up with a couple
of hundred dollars of their own money.
“I thought it would take a couple of months of jumping through
the hoops,” Danny said. But surprisingly, getting donations, permission and
design approval gobbled up almost a whole year. “I felt the stress late at
night while I was filling out all the paperwork,” Danny explained. Normally
time would not be a problem, but he had to have this project signed, sealed and
delivered before he turned eighteen, which was now only a few days away. “There
were times I didn’t think I would make it,” said Danny. Finally, with the
material in hand and permission to proceed, he, along with his pals Chris and
Matt Nelson, met at the location early Sunday morning.
It was cold and overcast. Holes were dug, cement was poured
and pavers were laid. With the day coming to an end, they put the finishing
touches on the bench and swept off the pavers. Although the bench was installed
and looking good, Danny was learning the lesson that the job isn’t done until
the paperwork is turned in and signed off. The only thing keeping him from
getting his eagle badge now was getting the paperwork in on time.
With only a few days before his birthday, Danny got his
project signed off. Not taking any chances, Danny will drive down to Lodi Thursday and hand
deliver his application to the Eagle Scout Board.
When asked how he felt about the project, Danny said, “It
was hard work but worth it. I learned that dedication pays off.” Danny was
quick to point out that many people helped along the way and wanted to thank
his parents Dan and Lisa, his mentors Dave and Julie, his fellow scouts; Chris and
Matt Nelson, Paul Shuck and lastly Scout Master Rob Hecocks.
Photos courtesy Benson family.
BEFORE....
