By STU CLAMPITT
news@readthereporter.com
Trenton Qualls from Scout Troop 199 in Fishers recently planted 100 trees in the Fishers AgriPark for his Eagle Scout project. Qualls also chose to plant four American plum trees in memory of Scout Ezra Wellington and Assistant Scoutmaster Matt Lackner, both of whom passed in 2022.
Scoutmaster Bryan Spellman told The Reporter a scout needs to do the project by himself to complete the Eagle rank. It is an opportunity to show leadership and give back to the community.
Qualls spent time researching the project, meeting with Fishers AgriPark officials to see what they had available, and calling folks in other communities who had done similar projects. He also sourced all 104 trees through donations and fundraising and organized volunteers who helped when it came time to plant the trees.
Spellman told The Reporter this project will be a benefit to the city of Fishers for many years to come. Once they reach a certain point of maturity, the trees can be moved and used throughout the city for landscaping and other beautification projects. The city can then replant in the bed-in area that Qualls prepared so more trees will be grown on the same land for decades.
Maurice Qualls, Trenton’s father, told The Reporter, “We are very proud of Trenton! He had a range of projects of varying difficulty to choose from and he chose one that was meaningful to him and to others despite the difficulty. We are truly thankful for everyone that has supported him and that his project will be enjoyed for years to come by the whole community!”
Maurice Qualls asked The Reporter to extend thanks to those who helped his son’s project come to fruition:
- The City of Fishers
- The Fishers AgriPark
- Eagle Project Coach Ed Ratts
- Troop 199
- Ben Shardlow, Director of Urban Design at Minneapolis Downtown Council & Downtown Improvement District
- The Arbor Day Foundation
- The people at IMI – Fall Creek
- Plaque Maker Plus – Fishers
- Woodys Warehouse Nursery
- Wasson Nursery
- … and all the people who contributed to his project!
You can learn more about Scout Troop 199 at Troop199.org.