Colton's Eagle Project

My name is Colton Graffam and I'm the Senior Patrol Leader at Pantano Christian Church Boy Scout Troop 774 in Tucson, Arizona. I am fifteen, and like music, being outdoors, weaponry, and challenging myself mentally and physically. In the attached picture, I'm the tall kid standing with my eleven year-old brother, Jace, and both my parents, Dawn and Ray Graffam. I also have a thirteen-year old sister named Lauren and a nine-month old foster sister, Whisper, who are not pictured. Our troop has approximately sixty boys ranging from ten to eighteen years old. I am a sophomore at University High School, ranked #17 in the nation, as well as earning forty-five merit badges through scouting.
My goal is to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point usma.edu and be an officer who sees action.  I have conducted an in-person interview with one recent graduate  that went to the same high school as I do, and one that is currently a junior at West Point.  Further, a lifetime influence for me has been my two uncles who are in the Army as Majors, and both have been to Afghanistan. Uncle Steve Gladish served in the 1st - 285th, flies the Apache Longbow helicopter, and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. Currently, he oversees all flight partnerships with allied countries who send their top pilots to AZ to learn how to fly our planes/helicopters. In addition, he was voted the #2 soldier in AZ in 2015. Uncle Dave Gladish works for NCIS and is on the National SWAT team as well as being in the active reserves. He was even a finalist on American Ninja Warrior.  Both of my grandfathers, Clint Graffam and Stephen Gladish, served in the Air Force. My great paternal grandfather, Donald Gladish, left a successful physician's practice and a wife with six children to serve as a doctor during WW2.  He was gone without any communication for over two years. I am very patriotic and want to do something big to honor veterans of our military. I found the perfect project that will stand for generations. Esperanza de Escalante at www.eeeveterans.org is a non-profit organization in Tucson (near Davis Monthan Air Force Base dm.af.mil ) that offers transitional housing for homeless veterans. I offered to build a memorial wall for those who have lived there and since passed away. T.A. Caid Industries, www.caid.com a steel fabricator shop in town, will thankfully donate all materials, but the labor cost to cut the wall and name plaques, etc. will cost $4,500. The Combat Veterans' Motorcycle Association will donate half of that. My Eagle Project cost of $8-9k includes building a bench and concreting it in, concrete and a flag pole, flag, and proper lighting. This worthy, yet challenging, project has been approved by the Catalina Council and I am ready to begin this endeavor and have it scheduled for December 3, 2016. Will you help me raise the money by then to dedicate a memorial wall to these deserving veterans of our American armed forces?  It would mean the world to me to partner with you. As a bonus, it will be tax deductible. Thank you in advance and God bless America!