Tent Pad Extension for Bull Run Regional Park

Karthik Jeyaraj, Eagle Scout

Total Volunteer Hours: 190

For my Eagle Project, I extended a tent pad at a campsite in Bull Run Regional Park. The preexisting tent pad was a small 12-foot by 13-foot square made from 6 in x 6 in x 12 ft wooden beams. We removed one side of the tent pad and extended the frame with seven more 6 in x 6 in x 12 ft beams. We filled the tent pad with 4 inches of 21-A gravel and 2 inches of stone dust. With a smaller pad, campers tend to place their tents in areas that have vegetation. Larger tent pads help contain tents and gear to preserve vegetation.

Observations and Challenges

Despite the weather forecast showing rain, our work day had ideal weather. Plenty of people – both from the troop and personal friends – turned up to support my Eagle Project each day. I was especially grateful to have enough hands during the difficult work such as shoveling gravel and moving wooden beams. We had enough tools provided by the beneficiary for everyone who was working.

There was a significant complication in the gravel delivery process because the organizer from the gravel company scheduled the delivery a few hours earlier than our agreement. I wanted to be present during the delivery to ensure the gravel was placed in a desirable location. Since the delivery was earlier than anticipated, the gravel was placed in a spot that interfered with the location of the frame. This caused an extra few hours of labor to shift the gravel in order to place the frame properly. In anticipation of rain, we had to cover the piles of 21-A gravel and stone dust with tarps to prevent the materials from becoming heavier. Another problem arose when the layout had a slight error, which would have left a small gap in the pad. Unfortunetly, one of the team members rebarred  the beam in the incorrect location, which prevented an easy fix. Fortunetly, my crew an I recalculated a dimensions on the spot which corrected the issue.

Changes (from original proposal)

My original proposal did not meet the ideal area of 700 sq ft, which led me to revise the planned dimensions and select a different, more open campsite to work on. I later learned that the beneficiary’s supervisor said the park would be unable to provide gravel for the project. The lumber I was originally planning on using was 4 in x 6 in x 12 ft. Since the new campsite had a preexisting tent pad with lumber of different measurements, I had to purchase 6 in x 6 in x 12 ft lumber to match the existing wood.

Leadership

I demonstrated leadership through planning with the beneficiary, communicating with the workers, and efficiently using available labor. Many problems did arise, and I demonstrated leadership by quickly adjusting the plans to ensure the project was completed. I made sure the workers did not exert themselves too harshly by periodically reminding them about the refreshments available. I also expressed my appreciation to the benefciary, gravel donors, and workers for their support and effort.

The most difficult part of being the leader was using all the workers efficiently to carry out the plans. There were many tasks that needed to be done at the same time, and it was challenging to redirect workers when some tasks were taken longer to complete. After recognizing a new task that needed attention, I redelegated workers to the specific jobs.

The most rewarding moment was finally completing the project. It was great to see how my planning had brought together the final result I had envisioned. It was also rewarding to see quick progress being made by hardworking individuals dedicated to the project.

This project could only be carried out using a range of skills including communication, planning, and problem-solving. A lesson I learned during this project is the importance of staying on top of things, especially when relying on others. The gravel company organizer mistakenly scheduled a different time for the delivery, which could have been avoided if I had sent a follow-up reminder email. I have learned that setbacks and obstacles will always occur despite thorough planning, and I learned the importance of thinking on my feet and being flexible.

Project work days + completion