WAPAKONETA — Caleb Hicks, a member of Boy Scout Troop 914 housed at First United Methodist Church, was awarded the highest rank in the Boy Scouts, Eagle Scout, during a recent ceremony. Only 3-5% of scouts obtain this accomplishment.
Hicks, son of Scott and Melanie Hicks, has been a Boy Scout for seven years as part of Troop 14 and then Troop 914. He has attended summer scout camp for six years at Camp Chief Little Turtle. He has held the position of historian, assistant senior patrol leader and senior patrol leader. Hicks had to meet strict criteria to qualify for the Eagle Rank, some of those requirements are, completing 21 specific merit badges, holding a leadership position in the troop, and designing and implementing an Eagle Scout service project. Then successfully complete an Eagle Scout Board of Review.
Hicks completed his service project at the Uniopolis Veterans Park. He chose the park because he played there while growing up.
At the park he worked to update/remove the wooden mulch under playground with rubberized mulch, cleaned and updated the basket ball court, painted the basketball poles and benches, planted flowers in four planters. Hicks was diligent at keeping them weeded and watered all through the summer and fall.
The culmination of the project was constructing and installing a blessing box to meet a need in our immediate community.
He said his favorite part of the project was building the blessing box. He used his construction skills and serves the largest need for the village. He has kept the box stocked with nonperishable food items and toiletries.
He funded his project by running a garage sale to raise the funds needed. Hicks solicited donations of garage sale items from family, friends and neighbors. Following the sale he donated the left over items to habitat for humanity restore In Lima, Goodwill in Wapakoneta and the Catholic homeless shelters of Dayton, to further benefit the community.
Hicks attends Wapakoneta High School and Apollo Career Center where he is studying heavy equipment and masonry. He was a member of the Uniopolis Browns football team and his parents are members of the Uniopolis Fire Department.
He has many relatives who live in Shelby County.
