Support Baron's Fonk's Eagle Scout Project for Boyd Hill

My name is Baron Fonk. I am 14 years old, the son of Matthew and Sarah Fonk. I have been working hard to earn my Boy Scout Eagle Badge and plan to do so in early 2025.

Earning an Eagle Scout Merit Badge requires several requirements: 21 merit badges, a leadership position, a move up in rank, and completing a community service project that I must manage.

I wanted to pick a project that would impact our community. Boyd Hill Preserve in St. Petersburg is a great place to hike and learn. If you get a chance, you might check it out.

When I visited Boyd Hill Preserve, I asked if they had any needs I might consider helping with. There were several, but the one that would challenge me was the chicken coop. I discussed it with my Dad and determined I could do this. The chicken coop isn't just for housing the chickens; it also provides a home for the chickens and helps educate the community.

This project has been in the works for a while, but the weather set us back about a month. We were finally able to start on it in December. I put together a small group of older scouts to help assemble the walls and structure of the chicken coop. There were a lot of cutting materials; I had to have my dad cut the materials, but together with him and the other scouts, we did the measuring and layout of the structure while the adults were assigned the cutting. This project will be completed on Jan 4th, 2025, and the final assembly and painting will be done at Boyd Hill Preserve at the Hammock Hall location in St. Petersburg. I plan to have my Troop, Troop 53, attend in the completion.

Today, I'm asking for your help. I am raising funds to cover the cost of a new chicken coop with a chicken run for the Boyd Hill Preserve in St Petersburg, Florida. With my Dad's help, I worked with Home Depot to purchase the materials, and they agreed to donate a substantial amount. They donated $500 of the $1800 budget for the materials. I'm asking friends and family if they can donate to assist with the balance of the cost for this project. As part of my Eagle Project Application, I requested and was approved by Boy Scouts of America to fundraise from friends and family. We have an exact amount and will need no more. If we don't hit that goal, I do have savings I will be donating and my time in organizing this overall project.

I appreciate any amount you might donate, as all the proceeds go to the cost of building and placing the chicken coop at the Boyd Hill Preserve.

I would also like to note that this Project benefits my fellow scouts. They get to see and understand how a project may come together. They will also earn community service hours, which benefit the community as well.

Thank you, and I'm grateful for the time you took to consider this request.

Baron Fonk

Overseen by Matthew Fonk

PS: if you would like to attend on Jan 4th, we will be at Boyd Hill Hammock Hall from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm, you may reach out for more details if you like.