Eagle Scout Project Helps Seniors

Meet Kyle Paulson, a young man working towards attaining Eagle Scout, the highest advancement in Scouting.

He was searching for his Eagle Scout project and decided he wanted to make an impact on the lives of older adults. He had ridden on meal delivery routes with his mother, Bonnie, a Meals on Wheels volunteer driver, and came to appreciate the need to support homebound, isolated seniors.

With his Eagle Scout Project on the horizon, he knew just what to do.

In March, Kyle began the methodical process for his “Care Kits for Seniors” project, and earlier this month, saw it through to fruition. Over a three-month period, Kyle canvassed over 400 homes and clocked about 100 hours to accomplish his goal. “It was amazing to see the enthusiasm from the families that received my request for donated items,” says Kyle. “My neighborhood alone provided enough donations to fill 116 care kits!” Each care kit included laundry detergent, body soap, shampoo, tissue, toothbrushes, dish soap, toilet paper, hand soap, toothpaste, band-aids, and a lap blanket. Additionally, he raised $1,330 through donations to his project that will be used towards a holiday gift for the seniors on the Meals on Wheels Program.

“The people who donated felt really great about helping me,” says Kyle. “I had a huge amount of support on this project.” When asked what he learned from the project, Kyle simply stated, “Anyone can help someone in need, and anyone can make a difference in someone’s life.”

--Information and photo from Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services