Eagle Scout Project Delivers Healthy Harvest at North Suburban YMCA

As a youngster, Daniel Silver enjoyed helping his mother raise vegetables in their backyard garden in Glenview. His early passion grew into a service project at the North Suburban YMCA that inspires children to learn about gardening, and earned him the status of Eagle Scout. His accomplishment was recognized in a Boy Scouts Eagle Court of Honor Ceremony on August 23 at the YMCA, 2705 Techny Road in Northbrook.

Daniel, a senior at Chicagoland Jewish High School in Deerfield, has been actively involved in Boy Scouts since 2009. As part of earning his Eagle Scout badge, Daniel approached the YMCA in 2013 about building garden beds to raise a variety of vegetables. He envisioned a Youth Training Garden that would enable children, individuals with special needs, and others to learn about the pleasures and benefits of home gardening. As a kid who had grown up in the Y’s swim classes and sports, Daniel knew that his garden would be a perfect match for the Y’s wide range of children’s education and camp programs. His proposal received enthusiastic approval from Y leadership.

“It was special to complete this project at the Y, since Daniel has truly grown up in its programs from the age of two,” remarked Randy Silver, Daniel’s father. “Our family really appreciated the support he received from the Y’s leadership, especially Howard Schultz, Barb Flanagin, and Frank Lenardi. Without their help, this project could not have been achieved.”

With volunteer help from Scouts and leaders from Boy Scout Troop 64, family, and friends, as well as donations from family and local businesses, Daniel built three raised garden beds each measuring four by eight feet. Children from YMCA afterschool programs and camps were invited to participate in planting and tending the gardens. The beds were planted with zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes, which have yielded bountiful harvests this summer. The produce has been used for service projects at the Y camps, Glenview Youth Services and also donated to the Northfield Township Food Pantry. After two seasons of diligently maintaining the gardens, Daniel has passed on that responsibility to YMCA Vice President of Healthy Life Enrichment Marlo Leaman, who is already taking the training garden forward into new directions.

At the August 23 Court of Honor, Daniel was presented with the Eagle Scout Medal and Certificate, with family, friends, and Scouting leadership and members of Troop 64 in attendance. He thanked his mentors, Ken Kadleck, Dr. Michael Engelman, and Dr. Stephen Leapman, who helped make the project a success; the volunteers who put in over 120 hours of work on the gardens; and the Y staff who supported the project and will sustain it in the future.

“Daniel’s project is a great fit for the YMCA,” noted Howard Schultz, NSYMCA President/CEO, who spoke at the ceremony. “He tapped into the educational side of our programming to promote nutrition and sustainability. It’s been exciting to see the garden mature over time and to see kids in our programs get involved in nurturing it.”

For more information, contact the North Suburban YMCA at 847 272 7250.

About the North Suburban YMCA
The YMCA is a not-for-profit entity and relies on donations to make services available for all families and individuals in its 15-city region. All board members are volunteers, who donate their time, talents and financial resources. Located at 2705 Techny Road in Northbrook, the YMCA has served the northern suburbs of Chicago for over 45 years. The Y is about youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, providing programs and services that address the needs of our diverse community and are accessible to all. For more information or to make a donation, contact Barb Flanagin at 847-272-7250 or bflanagin@nsymca.org, or visit www.nsymca.org.

Photo 1 Caption: Daniel Silver of Glenview was honored as an Eagle Scout at a Court of Honor ceremony at the North Suburban YMCA. Front row, from left: Randy Silver, Daniel Silver, and Maureen Gecht-Silver. Back row: Steve Spears, Troop 64 Committee Chair; Terry Dibert, former Troop 64 Scout Master; NSYMCA President/CEO Howard Schultz; Marc Elberts, Troop 64 Scout Master; Jack Baldwin, District Unit Comissioner for the Potawatomi district; Craig Brown, former Troop 64 Committee Chair and Assistant Scout Master; and Ken Kadleck, Eagle Advisor and Assistant. Scout Master.

Photo 2 Caption: Daniel Silver of Glenview harvests tomatoes from the Youth Training Garden he built at the North Suburban YMCA.