Photo courtesy of Michele Berube.
A baby bald eagle has a new home thanks to a 14-year-old Lakehill Preparatory School student.
As part of his Eagle Scout project, Nicholas Meadows built the bird enclosure for Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, a nonprofit that provides care to injured, sick or orphaned birds with the goal of returning them to the wild.
Meadows got started by building a model and raising support from family and friends. With the $2,200 he collected, he purchased wood, nails, wire mesh and stone pavers.
It took Meadows and five friends six hours to build the panels. The next day, they loaded everything into a trailer and built the structure over eight hours in 100-degree weather.
The extreme heat wasn’t the only obstacle with which the boys had to contend. During lunch, roaming peacocks tried to take a bite of their meals.
Although other Boy Scouts have built enclosures at the center, this one is the largest at 16 x 20 x 12 feet.
Other volunteers include: Jack Ryan Berube, Woodrow Wilson High School; Brendan Hall, Lakehill Preparatory; Campbell Whann, Highland Park High School; Connor Whann, Highland Park High School; and Jack Wildham, Lakehill Preparatory.
“It felt amazing that we were able to accomplish that,” Meadows said. “I felt so happy and thankful for my friends. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
