LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Troop 246 inducts three new Eagle Scouts


Ben Miller, Evan Harberson and Karl Lesterhuis Photo provided

Boy Scout Troop 246 in Moraga inducted three new Eagle Scouts - Evan Harberson, Karl Lesterhuis and Ben Miller - at an Eagle Court of Honor May 30 at Rancho Laguna Park in Moraga. To earn this highest advancement rank in Scouting, Scouts must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills, complete at least 21 merit badges, and plan, organize, lead and manage a service project benefiting his community. These three Campolindo High School seniors joined the less than 4 percent of all scouts who achieve Eagle Rank.

For Harberson's Eagle Scout project, he built shelters for cat communities in neighborhoods. The boxes could also be used to capture the cats and have them neutered in order to stop the population from growing. He did his project through an organization named Outcast Cat Help. This project was important to Harberson because he has two cats himself who were abandoned on the family doorstep and Outcast helps animals in need.

For Miller's Eagle Scout project, he refurbished the Snack Shack at the Bob Wilson football field at Campolindo High School. Miller redesigned the interior layout, and added shelving and storage space to increase the efficiency of the Snack Shack. After going to four years worth of football games, and seeing some of the difficulties that his parents had while running the Snack Shack, Miller saw this project as a way to make future Campo students' and parents' football games even more fun.

Lesterhuis joined Troop 246 in fifth grade after starting his scouting career as a Tiger Cub in Pack 351 at Rheem Elementary. He has served as a Patrol Leader and an Assistant Patrol Leader, and decided on an Eagle Scout project: a "Buddy Bench" on the kindergarten playground at Rheem Elementary. The purpose of the Buddy Bench, situated directly across from the play structure, is to promote new friendships and was inspired by his own kindergarten-aged brother. The project included designing, purchasing, and installing the best bench possible for current and future kindergarteners (and parents at Open House).