Thomas Hudson has a big heart.
The Cherry Hill East sophomore lives a few doors down on the same quiet Wexford Leas Street as 12-year-old Anthony, who attends the Larc School in Bellmawr, a non-profit special education school, serving students with disabilities from ages 3 to 21.
For the past few years, Hudson, his family and friends have turned their backyard into a haunted Halloween destination. The Hudson’s Haunted Shed attracted 300 visitors this past Halloween and has raised $400.
In the past, Hudson has donated the money to the Larc School.
But last year, he had an even bigger vision.
As he was nearing the time to come up with an idea for his Eagle Scout project, Hudson realized he could used the money raised from the Haunted Shed to do something more specific at the school.
After funds were raised and ideas were brainstormed, Hudson met with the director of the school to discuss implementing a sensory garden of the campus.
There was a garden in place, but it was overgrown and under maintained.
“The point of the garden is so students can experience it with their different senses,” Hudson said. “When we walked around the school, we realized the garden was not being used.”
The garden he wanted to implement included wind chimes, windmills, a birdhouse, flowers, trees, plants like basil and mint, potted plants, hanging baskets, walking paths and tables for sitting down and slowing down.
His dreams began to come to fruition when Hudson’s father, an architect himself, sat down with his son to help him draw the plans.
Soon after, Hudson typed a letter seeking donations.
He signed, sealed and delivered it — or at least mail carriers did — to neighbors, family, friends and members of his Boy Scout Troop, a group he’s been with since the first-grade.
Within a month, he said, Hudson had raised the $3,000 needed to complete the project.
When spring finally arrived, along with its warm winds, Hudson and his friends and family got to work. On May 5, he, his parents and brother, and eight or so other Scouts held their first workday, installing the birdhouse into the ground with cement, landscaping and planting.
Hudson and his family went back a week later to hang plants and clean up.
Late last month, Hudson and his family were part of a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Larc School to kick off the grand opening of the new garden.
“They were very grateful. Students thanked me. And some tried tasting the plants,” Hudson said with a smile. “We made sure everything was non-toxic.”
Hudson’s mother, Colleen Hudson, was beaming with pride over her son’s accomplishments.
“I’m very proud. He implemented it. He had a vision and went for it and he really enjoyed doing it,” Colleen Hudson said. “It’s nice to watch the process take place, to see the camaraderie and enlisting his friends. And to see a finished product makes us very proud.”
Hudson now has to write up a summary of the work he did, which he’ll submit to his Scouting district. The district will review it and meet with him to discuss his project and the merit badges he’s received along the way throughout his Scouting career.
Hudson said he expects to be honored sometime early next year in the Eagle Scout Award Court of Honor.
But for now, he says he’s taking pleasure in knowing he made a small difference in the lives of others.
“It feels really good to know I could do something like that — to make a kid’s day better,” Hudson said.
Hudson has also told his story along the way through photographs.
For before and after shots of the garden, visit his site at www.larcsensorygarden.com.
