Last weekend, Shawnee High School senior Gannon Sloves finished a project that would solidify him as a part of a legacy that dates back two generations.
It has been tradition for the men in the Sloves family to be a Boy Scout, and Gannon will now be honored as an Eagle Scout.
“I’ve always known that this was something that I wanted to do ever since I learned that my grandfather was an Eagle Scout,” Gannon said.
Gannon approached Medford Township in search of an idea he could pursue as his community service project he needed to complete to be awarded the rank of Eagle Scout.
Assistant Township Manager Beth Portocalis got back to him with the idea of landscaping and “beautifying” the sign in front of the municipal building.
The building has several purposes as it is the host venue of everything from weddings to court hearings, so the township felt cleaning the front would enhance the presentation of the beauty of the town.
Along with Portocalis, Gannon also worked with Chief of Police Richard Meder and Scott Taylor, a landscape architect from Taylor Design Group Inc. in Mt. Laurel.
They held several meetings to come up with this plan that Gannon completed over the course of two weekends. The plan also had to be approved by the Garden State Council.
The first part consisted of clearing the area and defining the shape, while the second part involved removing the weeds and planting the flowers around the sign as instructed by the township.
Of course, this was a process that entailed some major planning and pre-work.
After the township ordered the sign in the summer, Gannon went around and looked for places to get flowers in the fall.
Gannon couldn’t say enough about the assistance he received from Laurel Oak Garden Center in Mt. Laurel and Flagg’s Landscaping in Moorestown.
“They were a huge help,” Gannon said.
Gannon spent five-plus-hour days each time he worked on the project, but with the help of the landscapers and other Eagle Scouts from Troop 26, he was able to complete the project, and he couldn’t be happier about it.
“It means that all my work over the eight years in Boy Scouts has paid off,” Gannon said. “It looks really good for colleges as well. It’s something I can add to my resume and something that will help me in my job search down the road.”
Gannon alluded to how his parents always stressed how beneficial the accomplishment would be for college and building his resume.
Gannon’s father Michael spoke volumes about how far the Scout experience will take him in life. He mentioned how valuable the lessons he’s learned over the last few months will be to his future.
“Doing an Eagle project can be a difficult and challenging learning experience for the boys,” Michael said. “You learn to deal with people that you have no control over, including those that want to see you succeed and others that don’t care. People and environments don’t always cooperate. We’re proud of you, Gannon!”
