Alexandria Eagle Scout Project Is Donation Drive For Military Service Members

ALEXANDRIA, VA — An Alexandria Boy Scout working to achieve Eagle Scout rank is holding a donation drive for his service project, and his efforts could help some of the country's wounded military members.

Caleb Eastman, a member of Alexandria's BSA Troop 129, is seeking the Eagle Scout rank, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. Candidates must typically meet various requirements, including earning 21 merit badges and leading a service project.

Eastman's service project will collect donations for the Red Cross office at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Since Eastman wants to enroll in an Air Force ROTC program when he goes to college, a service project helping military service members was a no-brainer.

"I decided to do a donation drive with the Red Cross office at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center because I wanted my project to benefit service men and women in some way," Eastman told Patch in an email.

Eastman is seeking donations of items that Red Cross regularly distributes at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. These include: travel sized items of skin lotion; 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner; mouthwash (alcohol-free); body wash; deodorant; toothpaste; individual packages of chips, trail mix, crackers, granola bars, fruit cups, and beef jerky; back scratchers; hairbrushes; lip balm; toothbrushes and laundry detergent pods.

Eastman hopes to collect and deliver at least 500 items. The donation drive started Monday and runs through Friday, Oct. 7. An Amazon wish list is available to ship items directly to Eastman.

Eastman, who joined Boy Scouts in 2016, said working to achieve Eagle Scout rank "has been a long and difficult journey" on top of school and other activities. But it's well worth it since it will help him toward goals of attending college and becoming an Air Force pilot.

"To achieve Eagle Scout rank is a high honor," said Eastman. "I would be part of a fellowship of men and women who are leaders in our country and highly respected."