Eagle Scout project pays tribute to local veterans

Jordan Weiss, an Eagle Scout with the VFW chartered Troop 5, completed his Eagle Scout project just in time for Veterans Day.

A Scott City High School freshman, Weiss and his mother, Missy Buckner, arrived at Cape County Park North at 6:30 a.m. to help place the flags in front of the park's new entrance, also known as "Old Glory Lane." Boy Scouts and VFW members helped plant the flags in preparation of their debut.

"The flags flying looked great," said Weiss. He said seeing them up made the task worthwhile.

In all there were 507 holes dug, 182 for which Weiss was responsible. The project, which began in April, was spearheaded by Allen Taylor, who organized the donations and workers. Combined efforts of Alpha Phi Omega Sect. 49 Conference, Anpetu-we Lodge Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America Troop 5, Cape Girardeau Evening Lions Club, Girl Scout Troop 148, VFW Post 3838, Cape Girardeau County Park Commission and the County Park Department helped in getting the holes mapped out and dug.

Weiss said they used a power auger to drill the holes deep enough to hold the flags securely. Rock was then placed in the bottom with a plastic pipe in the center, followed by more rock and cement.

"Toward the end of the project some of the holes had to be dug by hand because they were close to electric lines," said his mom. The project took about 800 hours.

"One day we got about 100 done," said Weiss, who enlisted the help of his grandfather, father, brother and two other Scouts.

Weiss, who will receive the rank of Eagle Scout in February, said his dad, Brian Weiss of Cape Girardeau, was influential in motivating him to persevere in completing his Eagle Scout requirements. Although he knows the achievement is important and will help him when he gets older, for now he's glad it's really over.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133