Anderson first recipient of Eagle Scout in two decades
The rank of Eagle Scout is a performance-based achievement whose standards have been well-maintained over the years and not every boy who joins a Boy Scout troop earns the Eagle Scout rank; only four percent of all Boy Scouts do so. This represents more than one million Boy Scouts who have earned the rank since 1911.
The community of Onaway hasn’t had an Eagle Scout since Brian Janeczek, who is now an Onaway businessman, earned the award in 1983.
That 22-year drought came to an end when Alan Anderson of Onaway went before the board of review in Hillman in late June, and was successful in reaching the highest plateau in scouting.
Anderson, who joined the Navy the day after watching the Onaway Fourth of July parade, and is now at the Navy training facility near Chicago, needed to complete a project which would benefit the community as his final requirement to earn the rank.
The project he decided to take on was the replacement of the bleachers at the Allis Township Hall ball field.
ANDERSON SAID the planning process, which took about 50 hours, started in February.
Bleachers were constructed for both the first and third base sides and quality was a priority. “I wanted to make sure these things lasted forever,” Anderson said, leaning against the stands on the first base side, July 4. “When we started drawing up the plans in March, we decided to post them in instead of having them sit on the ground.”
That would eliminate the possibility of someone stealing the structures, which are firmly embedded in clay below the surface.
He received help from about 10 people, which is encouraged by the Boy Scouts, including Dan Materna, who was attending an open house at the township hall and saw Anderson working on the project, and decided to chip in.
Anderson said it took 170 hours to complete, from when the planning started, until the final nail was driven. Total construction time was three or four days.
It could have been longer, but Anderson gives credit to OHS trades teacher Mark Grant for his assistance. “If it weren’t for him we would have been going very slow. He helped out a lot,” said Anderson. When the project was completed, Anderson was pleased to see several people sitting in both bleachers during a T-ball game.
UP TO HIS junior year in high school, it was unclear if Anderson was going to be able to earn his Eagle Scout rank.
Onaway Scout Master Bob Ellenberger said, at times, he had his doubts. It would have been easy to quit. For two or three years he was the lone scout in the Onaway troop.
“It’s hard to get kids to commit any more,” said Ellenberger. “It’s a lot of devotion. They have to put in the time and there are so many things going on, such as sports and other activities at school.”
Anderson’s friends all had dropped out, but he kept working. “I made my way through the ranks,” said Anderson. “My Mom was nice enough to lone scout me through Weeblos, because there was nobody else.” Anderson kept going, and Onaway scout leader Marty Osantowski said involved parents help to drive a successful scout.
“I would have to say it just isn’t the scout’s dedication, scouting is about parents too, and if you don’t have dedicated parents, your scouts are not going anywhere,” said Osantowski. “That’s why we are so proud of him. It’s a family activity and you are only going to get out of your kids what you put into them. That’s the bottom line.”
AS THE CLOCK kept ticking, and just about the time the dream could have started fading, he started receiving encouragement. Others pushed to him to continue toward the goal he had been seeking since second grade.
“We just had to get him to do the things,” said Ellenberger. “He had a certain amount of time. With him going into the service it made a big difference.”
The wait won’t be two decades before Onaway has its next Eagl
Anderson earned his high school diploma in late May, but earning the Eagle Scout, to him, was a more difficult task to complete. “This took a lot more work,” said Anderson. “It’s about the same as the graduation of a Green Beret. About three out of 100 make it.”
Osantowski is proud of him: “He has come a long, long ways from the skinny little kid he was when we first met him.”
A plaque will be placed at the bleachers to acknowledge Anderson’s work.
He is the son of Doyal and Glenda Anderson.