Scout project helps United Way signs keep up with the times

Robert Egloff, of Boy Scout Troop 317 from Christiana Lutheran, stands with the signs he built for his Eagle Scout project. Photo by Hugh Fisher.

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Boy Scouts from Troop 317 of Christiana Lutheran Church help Robert Egloff, center left, raise one of the new United Way fundraising signs that Egloff created as part of an Eagle Scout project. Photo by Hugh Fisher.

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By Hugh Fisher

hfisher@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — When it came time to find an Eagle Scout project, Robert Egloff chose one that would help in more ways than one.

Boy Scout Troop 317, like many Scouting organizations, benefits from United Way fundraising.

Egloff, 15, chose to build new signs for the United Way’s annual campaign, now in progress.

The familiar “thermometer” signs show passersby the progress toward the year’s goal.

Robert said he learned of the need for new signs about six weeks ago while he was looking for potential projects.

“The United Way has been very good to support us,” he said.

His troop is based at Christiana Lutheran in Granite Quarry. It has been the beneficiary of the United Way’s efforts.

The 15-year-old Scout, the son of Mike and Lori Egloff of Rockwell, has also competed in swimming, cross country and track at East Rowan High.

“They’ve been real good to us,” Egloff said.

He said he was glad to be able to give something back.

The signs have been put up at area businesses, including the Granite Quarry branch of F&M Bank, for years.

Cynthia Goodman, teller and loan officer at F&M for 27 years, is responsible for updating the fundraising total on those signs.

She said it had been years, perhaps more than a decade, since the signs were last replaced.

Egloff went to work, getting together wood and hardware to build the freestanding sign frames.

Then, weatherproof banners with the fundraising “thermometer” were attached to them.

As a group, Egloff and his fellow Scouts went from location to location. They assembled the frames, made sure they were secured and put them into place.

“It’s pretty tremendous to make a contribution at such a young age,” said Sandy Moore, branch manager of F&M in Granite Quarry, as he watched the Scouts in action.

Moore said that volunteer contributions like Egloff’s were as important as financial donations, because they make the fundraising efforts possible.

“It’s good to see someone that young take the initiative,” Moore said.

Friday morning, Goodman said the new signs looked great.

“It’s remarkable,” Goodman said.

“At this age there’s so many things going on in their lives. For the young man to take an interest in this is a blessing.”

For Egloff, the project was just a way to say thanks.

“Yesterday, we went to a United Way (sponsored) race,” he said.

“There was no entry fee. They fed us dinner and gave awards to the top teams,” he said.

Because of things like that, Egloff said he was glad to help the United Way out.

Scoutmaster Jeff Fleming called it “a great Eagle project.”

“It’s a great opportunity for Scouting to give back to an organization that has a great history of helping out Scouts,” Fleming said.

As for Egloff, he knows his hard work will be a part of United Way campaigns for years to come.

“Whenever I drive by now, I can look and say I helped with that,” Egloff said.

Contact Hugh Fisher via the editor’s desk at 704-797-4244.