Update of OPICA’s Eagle Scout

When Kenneth Gee, age 15, was charged to develop a community project to complete his Eagle Scout requirements, his family suggested he check out OPICA. Once Kenneth visited OPICA and saw firsthand what it offered to support adults with memory loss and their families, he was excited to give back to his community by helping OPICA. He met with Barbara Levy, OPICA’s Program Director and together they decided that large planters for the outdoor patio for members to grow vegetables would be a valuable addition.

kenneth2The resulting planters that Kenneth built are a work of carpentry artistry, ergonomically designed so OPICA members won’t need to bend down to tend to their new garden.  We talked to Kenneth about this project:

How did you become interested in carpentry?

This is actually my first full-scale project. My grandfather loved carpentry and my dad is also very knowledgeable about working with wood. I spent several weekends working on this project, along with my fellow Scouts from Troop 23 in Pacific Palisades; I am very proud of the end result. I really liked working with wood; it was fulfilling to see the raw wood turn into functional planters. I am certainly a fan of carpentry now, and I look forward to working on more carpentry projects.

Why did you choose OPICA for your Eagle Scout Project?

I visited OPICA and I really learned a lot, the people are so kind and helpful. The programs for the members are amazing. My grandparents suffer from dementia.  I spend a lot of time with them and understand how hard this disease is on families. I’m happy to know that my project is giving OPICA members something productive and meaningful to do.

Kenneth is officially an Eagle Scout!  We congratulate Kenneth, his fellow Scouts from Troop 23 in Pacific Palisades and their Scoutmaster, John Wilson (below, center) for course completion. The awards ceremony was held June 7, 2017, at the Lutheran Church in the Palisades. OPICA is honored and grateful for Kenneth’s contribution and we applaud his youthful philanthropy and civic mindedness.

To learn more about how OPICA supports adults with memory loss and their families click HERE.

To view all previous blogs, click here.

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