At the end of April, Scouts BSA Troop 30, based at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church on Columbia Avenue, Lancaster, held a ceremony to honor two of its members who recently completed their projects to achieve the rank of Eagle. Recent Penn Manor graduate Stephan Gebhard and Penn Manor student JJ Anderson each finished a project to better the community in some way.

For Anderson's project, he created a storage space for The Common Wheel, a nonprofit bike shop located on East King Street in Lancaster. Anderson and his father have been patrons of the shop for several years and are both BMX bike enthusiasts. "We knew the owner personally, and I wanted to give back to him and the organization," Anderson said.

Anderson noticed that the building was running out of space to store bikes, so he got to work outfitting the basement with storage amenities. The main goal of the project was to create a wooden deck platform in the basement that could fit multiple bikes on each shelf. Due to the limited space in the basement and narrow access points, Anderson and his team needed to slide the wooden boards through a small window on the side of the building.

Per the criteria of an Eagle Scout project, Anderson had to lead his team of volunteers through the tasks of completing the project. This requirement provided an opportunity for him to learn about leadership and overcome the challenge of not being able to work in a completely hands-on manner. "It was really beneficial for me in that way and working with others," Anderson said. "It was hard not to do it my way, but it felt good to give back."

For Gebhard's project, he built five feral cat shelters for the Humane League of Lancaster County. Leading a team of friends, fellow Scouts and parents, Gebhard created the shelters using pressure-treated wood and screws, and each one was equipped with a door on the top. The Humane League places the shelters in specific areas with a high population of stray cats so the cats can have protection from the elements.

While completing his project, Gebhard learned how to adjust his plans and adapt to the challenges presented by his project. Initially, he wanted to create a dog park, but was unable to acquire permission from the borough. Gebhard saw the Humane League's need for cat shelters and shifted his focus to creating them instead of a park. "I'm very passionate about animals, so I was still able to incorporate that into my project," Gebhard said. "I learned a lot about leading people and communicating."

Anderson and Gebhard have been friends for many years as they have risen through the ranks at Troop 30. They both credit the program with teaching them leadership skills and discipline and connecting them with their peers. "Scouts teaches you to be a better person," Anderson said. "I've learned so many different things over the years that will serve me in my life."

Anderson will begin his senior year at Penn Manor High School in the fall. Gebhard, who graduated this year, plans to attend Penn State York in the fall. "I'll miss the different connections I made through Scouts," Gebhard said. "If I didn't have those people, I never would have been able to push myself."