Eagle Scout Project Improves Access To Kinder Farm Park’s Cattail Pond

When time approached for 17-year-old Severna Park High School senior Harrison Klee to choose an Eagle Scout project, he reached out to Kinder Farm Park to see if he could have an impact there. After going back and forth about ideas for projects with Kinder ranger Cody Schell, Klee mapped out a plan to renovate one of the park’s paths, giving parkgoers easier access to Cattail Pond. Klee expanded on the idea by suggesting the creation of benches, so that visitors in that area of the park could sit down, enjoy the view, and maybe even fish.

“There was a path that was existent, but it needed some help,” Klee said. “We found this little fishing spot. There weren’t many benches, and I thought it would be nice to put some benches there so people could go fishing with friends (and) with family.”

The project took over six months to come to fruition. Prior to starting work in Kinder Farm, Klee built a practice bench as a model for the two that would be installed in the park. Schell prepared for the project by getting major branches and trees out of the way. Kinder Farm also provided mulch, bringing it to Klee’s worksite for him to use.

In late September, Klee and fellow Troop 993 members, his family and adult leaders from the troop helped complete the project. Over the course of two days, they spread the new mulch for the path, installed the benches overlooking the pond, and cleared up brush and sticks to make the path and clearing look nicer.

“Cattail Pond is one of the bigger ones in the park, but there hasn’t really been a good way to get to it,” Schell said, later adding, “All around for the enjoyment of the park and especially of that pond within the park, this project really benefitted us.”

Klee shared, “One of the scouts who participated … actually goes on little fishing outings with his friends, so he told me … sometime soon, he was going to come to the pass, go down and fish with his friends.”

Klee has always had a strong interest in the arts, especially in sculpting with clay, carpentry and woodworking. He hadn’t had many opportunities to explore his interest in carpentry outside of classes, so the project allowed him to get real experience.

Klee is hoping to go to University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and while he’s not certain what career path he wants to pursue, he is considering trying to become a detective, criminal investigator or law enforcement agent, or going into a trade like carpentry, welding or electrical work. Creating the benches for his project has helped grow his interest in pursuing a trade.

Klee began as a Cub Scout in 2015, and he has been a Boy Scout for six years. And he isn’t finished with his Eagle Scout journey yet: He has a few more steps to complete, but he hopes to be done by the winter Court of Honor ceremony, which will likely take place around his 18th birthday.