WORTHINGTON - Thomas Hunt will go back to school after what could be called a scouting summer.
Hunt, 15, spent two months working at the Lewis and Clark Scout Camp in Tabor, S.D. Then, on Saturday, he about 12 others undertook his Eagle Scout project, as they painted fire hydrants around southeast Worthington.
Hunt has been active in scouting since age 6, when he was a tiger in Cub Scouts. As a member of Troop 134, he has also been involved with community efforts such as picking up trash at the Nobles County Fairgrounds and clean-up along Lake Okabena.
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From June 5 through Aug. 6, Hunt was at Lewis and Clark Scout Camp with fellow Troop 134 member Michael Rautenkranz. As a counselor, he led groups of between three and 10 boys on backpacking and camping adventures.
“It was usually Tuesdays through Thursdays - it’s a little but fast for them because they want to get their merit badges quick,” he said. “There were kids in about sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade.”
On Saturday, Hunt and his helpers were looking at scraping off and then repainting in the neighborhood of 25 fire hydrants. Included were hydrants on South Lake, Sherwood, Franklin, Murray, Trevor, Nobles, East 12th and East 13th streets, as well as East Gateway Drive and Kragness Avenue.
“I was looking at fire hydrants around the city … and saw a lot that needed to be repainted,” Hunt said. “They (city of Worthington) told us some of them were going to be repainted; they’re going to do half and we’re going to do half.”
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Hunt, who enjoys climbing as well as shooting BB guns while participating in scouting, benefited from donations from Diamond Vogel and Schwalbach Ace Hardware in obtaining necessary supplies for his Eagle project.
With plenty of Boy Scout eligibility remaining, Hunt plans to remain active with his troop. He intends to assist his father, scoutmaster Scott Hunt, as well as packmaster Scott Carlson with activities and leadership.
He also plans to return to Lewis and Clark Scout Camp over the course of upcoming summers to again be a counselor - and, in effect, a mentor, to younger scouts.
“It’s about helping the younger generation,” he said.
