IMAGE GALLERY: Teen Clears Path to Eagle Scout

senior Ricky Parker recently earned Eagle Scout by planning and recreating the St. Luke’s Walking Trail. The trail, which is a mile long, begins at , loops around an adjacent working farm, runs through the woods, and finishes back at the cemetery.   

Packer joined Cub Scouts in second grade and crossed over to Scouts when he entered fifth grade. Being a scout has afforded Packer many opportunities, including a trip to Philmont in New Mexico this past summer. As part of his scouting experience, Packer decided to plan and recreate the walking trail as his community service project which would, ultimately, earn him the honor of Eagle Scout. 

Parker knew right away that he wanted to do his community service project for . When he approached the church with the idea, fixing up the trail as Father George remembered was the first idea they gave him. In addition to the path, Packer decided to install a bench (at about the halfway point) in honor of former Father George Lange, who recently retired from St. Luke's Church. The bench looks out over the meadow and fields and the cemetery in the distance.

A group of 15 scout and student volunteers offered their help to clear the trails. The project took several Saturdays and lots of hard work. And, while most of the work entailed clearing brush and branches out of the path, there was more to revamping the walking trail than this. According to Packer, “trail markers indicating the correct path had to be painted, assembled, and installed, an entrance sign had to be put up, two small wetland areas had to be bridged, overgrown sections of the trail had to be cleared, and the bench had to be installed and secured to cement.”

Now that he has turned eighteen, Packer has completed the boy scout program. Still, he plans to remain active and mentor the younger boys. 

Packer will be attending Villanova University and hopes to become a screenwriter.