Life Scout Daniel Wozniak on the boardwalk in Gil McCutcheon Park.
On Saturday, Aug. 5, Boy Scout Troop 301 Life Scout Daniel Wozniak got what he asked for: good weather, and help from his fellow scouts in completing his long planned Eagle Scout Project.
With assistance from Fairfax County Park Authority Area 3 Manager Phil Hager, Daniel put together a plan to build a 60-foot boardwalk in Gil McCutcheon Park.
Starting at 10 o’clock on Saturday morning, Scouts and parents from Troop 301 and Crew 11 worked together for seven hours to build the boardwalk over a section of trail that becomes exceptionally muddy during rainy weather.
When asked what the key to success of his project was, Daniel replied that it was a combination of materials being supplied by Hagar, planning and prefabricating as much as he could before the work started in the park, and the many helping hands from the Scouting family. Asked what he learned from the experience, he stated that you can’t always plan for everything and you have to be flexible.
Daniel’s project joins seven earlier Eagle Scout projects and a Girl Scout Gold Award project completed in Gil McCutcheon Park. This unofficial partnership between local area Scouting programs and the Fairfax County Park Authority has not only enhanced the park by making it more accessible to the public, but has served the youth well in providing them the opportunity to learn life skills and to exercise leadership in an outdoor environment.