Eagle Scout pursues his goals while inspiring others to give back to the community
It is amazing what our youth can do when they put their mind to something. In June, I had the pleasure of meeting Daniel Haugan, an extraordinary young man. He is a member of Holy Cross, Warren, a senior at International Academy, East Campus in Troy, and an aspiring engineer. Haugan, who has been involved with the Boy Scouts of America for 11 years, approached Macomb Habitat for Humanity as a place where he could carry out a community-based volunteer project as he worked toward his Eagle Scout rank. This highest rank in Scouting requires that a Scout demonstrate strong leadership skills. He must plan a service project, raise funds for supplies and materials as needed, recruit youth and adult volunteers, and successfully complete the project.
“I knew I wanted to work with Habitat,” Haugan says. “I really like that you can quickly see how much of an impact you are making.”
Haugan had a project vision, a creative plan, and prepared to work hard to make an impact on his community. He first reached out to Macomb County Habitat’s Faith Relations Manager to inquire about Habitat’s needs and coordinate a date. He chose to work on Habitat’s A Brush with Kindness (ABWK) project in Roseville, which entailed painting the exterior and storage shed of St. Luke A.M.E. Church. Habitat’s ABWK program serves low income homeowners by giving them a hand in maintaining their homes, and ensures families are living in a safe and well-maintained environment.
In demonstrating his leadership skills, Haugan gathered both adult and youth volunteers from his church, plus longtime friends and other Scouts from his troop at Our Shepherd, Birmingham to help. He approached local businesses for donations of supplies and monetary support including a matching grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
After assembling his crew of 18 volunteers, they were ready to get to work. On June 21, despite the heat of the day, this group was bright-eyed and eager to lend a helping hand in any way they could. The day started off with a safety talk and a prayer. Lunch was provided by the thankful parishioners of St. Luke A.M.E. Church. Over the course of the day, the group was able to complete the exterior painting of the church and its storage shed with over 20 gallons of paint.
Haugan mentioned, “Throughout the day it was challenging to make sure all of the volunteers were involved and had something to do.”
The volunteer experience was important to Haugan because he wanted everyone to be engaged and involved in giving back. “It was great that they could quickly see the results of their efforts,” he says.
By the end of the day all volunteers were elated with the impact they made on this community.
For more information regarding the Boy Scouts of America organization, please visit www.scouting.org.
The Boy Scouts of America has over 2,700,000 youth members. Its purpose is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness.
In 2011, over 5,977 Habitat for Humanity volunteers were an essential part of carrying out the mission of Macomb County Habitat. They donated a combined 38,847 hours working on Habitat homes. It was with their help that 24 homes were completed, and 28 homes are projected for 2012.
Get Involved! Visit www.habitatmichigan.org for more information about volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.
