Will Andreoni Eagle Scout Project

Hello, my name is William Andreoni, and I am 17 y.o. friend of Bill, attending In Balance Ranch Academy in Huachuca, AZ.  I have set up this GoFundMe page to raise funds for a project that I am passionate about. The Ranch is currently helping me with my recovery, and I would like to show my gratitude by contributing to the betterment of their campus with my Eagle Scout Project. I am raising funds to build a meditation path, cairn garden and gliding bench near an existing pond at the In Balance Ranch Academy.

Prayer and meditation are integral aspects of recovery as a whole, and many of my peers aren't able to do so due to their respective conditions.  The goal of my project is to provide a peaceful meditation center for those who seek peace, but struggle with concentration. 

The Center will include the following elements that I will build and install with the help of my family and peers.

The Gliding Bench is a place for reflection and engagement in meditation through motion.  It will also support family connection and reparation, as the pond offers an oasis from the heat, in addition to the calming noise of water flowing. I feel that the motion of the bench can ease the tension that is often present while rebuilding relationships on the road to recovery. 

The Walking Infinity Path again incorporates meditation through motion, but involves more physical activity for those who cannot sit still.  A huge part of recovery is repetition, which is represented by the infinity path in both form and function. Recovery is never complete; it requires constant maintenance, diligence and repetition in order to stay on the path.

Cairn rock formations are often built on trails as trail markers or memorials to lead the way towards an intended destination. The interactive rock cairn garden represents the necessity for a strong stable foundation on which your program of recovery can be built.  In recovery, the possibility of relapse is ever present, the strength and balance of the cairn is a physical representation of this constant process and practice. When it tumbles, the rocks can be collected and rebuilt,  to rise again stronger and more grounded.

I am planning to acknowledge the names of every donor as well as my fellow student helpers with handmade ceramic name plates embedded in the cairn garden and infinity meditation path.

My goal is to complete my Eagle Scout Project by the Fall of 2018, before my 18th birthday.  After gathering funds from this GoFundMe page, I will purchase materials and supplies necessary to complete my intended project. This will include hardware, wood, flagstone, stain, and safety equipment.  Any extra funds that we collect will be donated to my local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous in Tombstone, AZ and a non-profit teen recovery  service called Fresh Start, a program that helps teens who are not as lucky as I am to have parents who are able to pay for a good quality recovery program.   You can find out more about the non-profit Fresh Start  http://freshstarttoday.org. 

Thank you so much for your time and support, I hope you find it in your heart to donate to my Eagle Scout Project and help me create a safe and beautiful space at In Balance Ranch Academy as well as support other teens in recovery for addiction.   William Andreoni