Eagle Scouts help improve park

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer
    Fifteen years ago, Bennett Park in LaSalle was so overgrown and under-kept that one could hardly drive a vehicle through it. Four wheel drive vehicles could, with some effort and skill, make it through, but you weren’t going to get your soccer mom coupe down there. 
    With some effort on the part of the county, the park has received some maintenance and beautification, and according to Precinct Three Commissioner Johnny Belicek, continues to be repaired.
    “I’ve gotten grants to fix erosion, and I got a grant on a boat ramp,” Belicek said, “We’ve done a lot of work.”
    Historically, Bennett Park has not been left in good shape by those that use it, and sometimes to the county, fixing it up seems like a losing battle. This is something the county hopes to change, along with some help.
    Recently Ganado Boy Scout Troop 135 joined the county in their efforts to keep Bennett Park beautiful by planning Eagle Scout projects there. Michael Malek of Ganado recently placed fire rings at campsites at the park, which the county employees began bolting down because some of them were almost immediately stolen.
    Donnie Tegeler, who has been a scoutmaster for over four decades, said it didn’t come as much of a surprise, and is something they prepare the boys for before the projects go up. However, he said, they hope to dissuade people from vandalizing and stealing from the park, as it is one of only a few free-to-use assets the county has for residents.
    “This is free,” he said, “It is a 40-acre park, and a very unique area. Fort St. Louis is right down the road from there. It is on Garcitas Creek. Law officers patrol the area regularly, and when we camp down there they ask us to call them and they’ll patrol it more. We’ve had stuff stolen while we were camping there.”
    Tegeler hopes that spreading the news that the Boy Scouts are trying to keep the park in good shape, combined with encouraging pride in county parks and teaching people about outdoor ethics will help keep the park intact and clean.
    They certainly aren’t allowing themselves to be discouraged. Two more Ganado Scouts are planning projects in the park in the coming months. 
    Brandon Alford and Eddie Fitzgerald, ages 17 and 16 respectively, are both in the planning stages of their projects. Alford plans to clean up and repair the swing sets at the park, and Fitzgerald is in the planning stages of replacing the picnic tables. 
    Eagle Scouts do their own fundraising and put together their own teams for their projects. Eagle Scout projects are about not only helping the community but leadership. Hurt’s Wastewater Management has offered a discount on concrete for the picnic table project, and Commissioners Johnny Belicek and Dennis Karl have offered their help with what materials they have on hand like wire brushes for the cleaning of the swing sets, and more.
    The scouts and the county hope that people will be encouraged to take care of the park if the Boy Scouts help with upkeep. Between the county’s maintenance and the scouts’ improvements, They believe that Bennett Park has a very real chance at becoming a hidden gem in Jackson County.
    Individuals or businesses interested in helping with the projects financially can contact Nick Strauss at 361-771-6359.