"My dad is an Eagle Scout. I want to be an Eagle Scout, too."

"Never, never, never give up!"

~ Winston Churchill

From eleven-year-old first-year Boy Scout to Eagle Scout ...

Adam, Chris B, Jeremy C, and Jeffrey H

Adam presents his Eagle Project to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta/Scottish Rite - 26 handheld game systems and more than a hundred games for bed-bound pediatric patients.

With the blessing of the National Boy Scout Council, this chapter will close and another will open.

I'm very, very proud of you, Adam.


Love, Mom.

Dueling Projects

Today . . .

Son is leading his last Eagle Project workday. He's recruited at least a half dozen Scouts from Troop 764 to sort games and package them for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The Scouts will be labeling, sorting, cleaning, and accessorizing the sets. (I'm very sure snacking will be involved since Son made sure we had plenty of chips, sweets, and sodas.) He ended up with 26 game systems and enough games that each patient will have about 3 to enjoy while they're in the hospital. T will be the parent on deck while the guys work things out. If all goes well, he'll be ready to deliver them next week and begin his final paperwork.

AT THE SAME TIME,

Daughter and I are headed to Mill Glen Clubhouse to simmer spaghetti, set up the room, and prepare for this evening's Spaghetti Supper, the final fundraiser for her Odyssey of the Mind team's trip to World Finals. (Departure is this Wednesday!).

All that comes this afternoon and evening. But right now, it's quiet.   I could smell newly cut grass and caught the heady, earthy aroma of the tomato plants as I let the dog out this morning.  The keystrokes as I blog are the loudest sound in the kitchen.  Birds are warbling outside and my dog is grumbling deep in his throat as he glares at the neighbor's cat high-stepping through the wet grass in the back yard.  And I can hear T stirring upstairs as he reacts to the aroma of coffee.

This is the peaceful time, my favorite time of the day.

Good morning.

Handheld Games for Children's Healthcare at Scottish Rite

My son asked me to post his Eagle project on my blog as he spreads the word about a special collection to support Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite.

Adam says:
 

I am conducting a handheld video game donation drive to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. I was inspired to do this by my personal experience as a patient of the hospital in the Intensive Care Unit and primary care floors.

Due to my Crohn’s Disease, I have had five hospitalizations at Children’s Healthcare between sixth grade and this past Thanksgiving (11th grade). Two of those were in the ICU for more than a week each. I was not ambulatory and the only thing the hospital had (at the time) to entertain me was kid videos, coloring books, and other rather uninteresting things to do. The exception was the TV in my room, but it stopped playing my channels later at night. One of my father’s business associates gave me a Nintendo DS, for which I was very grateful because it gave me something to do besides the uninteresting activities. Since each of my hospitalizations lasted a long time (twice I was there for two weeks), all that time in bed was really difficult. 

The hospital now has a Teen Activity Room. That’s a great thing, but it doesn’t help patients who can’t get out of bed. So the Volunteer Services department is really excited about this project and the entertainment value for kids who are too old for coloring books and cartoons.

The hospital's Volunteer Services staff will loan patients a handheld system and games during their stay. Each set will be packaged in a sturdy plastic container and labeled according to the age range of the games and gender, if applicable.
 
Adam and his fellow Scouts are collecting used, working-condition Nintendo (DS, DS Lite, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy Color), Sony PSP, battery packs, power cords, styluses, and games (lots of games) for these systems rated E or T (no mature). The project goal is 30 individual handheld game systems plus at least 2 games per system and necessary cords, adapters, and power packs.
 
If you have a neglected, out of date handheld game system, consider a donation to benefit Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite.
 

An Eagle Project by Adam Nall, Troop 764
(St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church, Dunwoody)
 

For more information or to donate, post a comment on this blog!
 

Scouts will arrange for pick-up anywhere in the Atlanta metro,
or you can deliver to St. Luke's, 1978 Mt. Vernon Road, Dunwoody 30338

(place his name and "Eagle Project" on the package).