Ability Beyond Disability, Inc.

Hi, my name is Benjamin DiNoia, and I am a Boy Scout with Troop 472 in Guilford, CT.

I started Scouting as a cub scout in the first grade, and over the past decade it has taught me countless things about life, has given me incredible opportunities to do things I never would have imagined doing, and has fundamentally shaped who I have become as a person. Now, as I work on my Eagle Scout Project, my journey is finally coming to a close, and it is time to give back to the community that has given me so much.

An Eagle Scout Project is the final community service project a Boy Scout has to take in order to achieve the final rank of Eagle. Eagle is the highest and most prestigious award in all of Scouting, and it is the last major step in the program. At this level, the Scouting has achieved its purpose in building citizenship, growth in morals, strength, and character along with development in physical, mental, and emotional fitness. The rank of Eagle is a recognition by the National Court of Honor, presented through the local council and a local court of honor.

My Eagle Scout Project is to build a pergola type gazebo next to the sensory
garden at Roses for Autism in Guilford. A sensory garden is therapeutic and educational for a variety of individuals, especially those with disabilities that affect their sensory responses, as is the case with Autism. Currently, the individuals being served at Roses for Autism find it hard to enjoy their sensory garden, because there isn’t any shade. Therefore, providing a comfortable and shaded place for them to enjoy themselves, relax and reflect, is very important. Please help me to make both our dreams come true, a donation of any amount goes a long way towards making this a reality. Along with the help of my troop and the community, construction will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2017.

Completing this project is not simply an end to my scouting career, but it is a test in which I use the knowledge and skills that I have learned throughout my years of Scouting to provide leadership and guidance to my peers. Becoming an Eagle Scout will be the start of a new chapter in my life, one in which the values I have developed will lead me in being the best person that I can be.

I appreciate all of your support so much, thank you!