Gilbert Boy Scouts paint 60 town fire hydrants

• 17 boys and 6 adult leaders painted 60 faded hydrants
• Scouts have completed more than 250 projects in past year

NEWS BY YOU

Submitted by Bryson Jones.

Although teenagers are frequently stereotyped as self-absorbed and lazy, a group from Gilbert proved to be very different recently.

Seventeen boys and six adult leaders from Boy Scout Unit 507 spent a recent morning cleaning and painting 60 Gilbert fire hydrants as part of a service project one of its scouts planned to obtain the Eagle Scout rank. The town supplied the paint and brushes in exchange for the scouts' help in making hydrants easier for firefighters to spot and freshening the look of the Cottonwood Crossing subdivision.

Working from 8 a.m. to noon, the scouts took care to do a good job. "My team of boys unanimously determined that quality work was their main goal," said Jaymie Jones, a unit leader who accompanied three scouts as they painted their assigned hydrants. "They immediately began working hard to scrape away flaky paint, rust and dirt, and then painted with similar attention to detail."

When finished, Unit 507 was proud of the difference it made in improving the neighborhood's appearance. "I noticed a homeowner out in his front yard looking at a hydrant one of the teams had just painted, so I stopped and asked him what he thought. He said he never realized how faded it was before and appreciated how we made it look new," Jones said.

"It was a satisfying feeling to know this Eagle Scout service project benefits the entire community."

"Painting fire hydrants made them look so much better," said Ammon Orlando, an eighth-grader at Mesquite Junior High. "I enjoyed knowing I made the area a little nicer."

Volunteering on the street where he lives was a plus, but Cameron Zamenski, a seventh-grader at Gilbert Classical Academy, also liked working alongside his fellow scouts.

"The best thing about doing service projects is generally the camaraderie we all share as members of the troop," he said. "Even though the projects are sometimes hard work, doing them with friends makes the work easy and enjoyable, and having conversations with them as we work is fun."

Another reason many of the scouts participated was to meet Boy Scout service hour requirements, but they also believe helping others is important.

"I knew I wanted to support my fellow scout in his Eagle project, but I also want to follow Jesus Christ's example. He did so much service in his lifetime and emphasized it is something we need to do daily," said Connor Nielsen, a junior at Gilbert High School. "My parents are great examples of that, giving service frequently to those in need, and have taught me to do the same."

The project was one of many services rendered by Boy Scout units across the East Valley. In the last year alone, scouts within the San Tan district, which includes Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and Queen Creek, participated in more than 250 projects ranging from planting trees to painting the girls' home at Sunshine Acres.