Boy Scout to host book drive to earn highest rank

Date: 11/10/2008

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



SPRINGFIELD Sixteen year old Grant Kuehl said his sister loves to read, and that she is the one who inspired him to organize a book drive as his Eagle Scout project.

According to the Eagle Scout Web site (www.eaglescout.org), the Eagle Rank is different from other rankings in the Boy Scouts of America system because "it is more a measure of the kind of person you've become, not merely what activities you've completed."

The Eagle Scout rank is achieved through a project a scout plans, develops and leads others in that aids their community. Kuehl's book drive will benefit the Brightside for Families and Children center based in West Springfield.

"Brightside has always been in the back of my mind," Kuehl said. In addition to gathering books for the center, he and his fellow scouts will build bookshelves to hold the donations. He said that we connected to Brightside through his church.

The book drive will be taking place Nov. 15 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the St. Catherine of Siena Parish at 1023 Parker St. Books of any genre and any age range will be accepted.

As of Nov. 4, he had already collected more than two dozen books.

Kuehl has been with the Boy Scouts for nine and a half years. He is a member of Troop 303 of Springfield.