Sobiech completes Eagle Scout project

Adam Sobiech stands with the information kiosk he and his fellow scouts from Troop 186 completed at the Milford Community Gardens.

Adam Sobiech wanted to do something that would have a positive impact on the community. In a conversation with Nancy Wagamon, who manages the Milford Community Garden, Sobiech learned that although building an accessible walkway through the garden would be beneficial, the legal requirements of meeting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were too complex for a young group of volunteers. Wagamon suggested an informational kiosk, so Sobiech and his fellow scouts in Troop 186 took on that project.

“The project was to build an informational kiosk for the Milford Community Garden,” Sobiech said. “This message board allows the garden to publicize their work and activities. They can post messages about plants, events, announcements and garden rules. The Eagle project allowed me to participate in teamwork with brother scouts and provide leadership on the project.”

According to Sobiech, it took just one day to build the actual kiosk, but the research and planning as well as the solicitation of donations and supplies before choosing a date and recruiting volunteers took about six months. Overall, the project required almost 105 hours to complete, including assistance from other members of the troop.

Troop 186 stands with the informational kiosk they constructed at Milford Community Gardens as part of Adam Sobiech’s Eagle Scout project.

“The paperwork was a major challenge,” Sobiech said when asked what the biggest challenges were in completing the project. “I had to produce a big binder in which I recorded everything I did. I had to have an initial proposal approved by the troop and by the state board, a final plan with drawings and photos, and then a project summary. I am not very good at paperwork!”

Working on the project was exciting, Sobiech explained. He enjoyed watching the kiosk come to life, and credits his grandmother, Sharon Collins, with supporting his scouting career, stating that she was the reason he was in scouts. After he graduates from Milford High School in June 2023, Sobiech plans to attend Del Tech and pursue a career involving welding in a business similar to Baltimore Air Coil.