Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
Building skills and stronger communities, local Boy Scout Nathan Gentile from Troop 25 is turning big ideas into real change right here in the Prattville Community.
Last Saturday Gentile presented his Eagle Project to the Prattville Church of Christ, where the church also operates a food bank to combat hunger in the community. However, the food bank operated by the church is only open at certain times or by appointment, so Gentile created a food pantry to be placed on the front porch of the food bank. Creating a grab and go system that can be accessed any time.
“I’ve always liked volunteering with the local food pantries when we lived in Texas. I think this emergency food pantry fits with the food distribution center for the church. My favorite part of this project has been seeing everyone work together to make it happen. It’s kind of cool to see your idea go from being on paper to an actual thing being built. I’ve seen firsthand how a food pantry helps people in need. I’m really proud of this project and I hope it’s used for a long time,” Gentile said.
Gentile constructed the grab and go style pantry out of donated wood material from Prattville Lowes and was able to fill the pantry with food donated by the Prattville Winn Dixie. The pantry is stocked with pre-packaged, non-perishable and ready to eat items, Gentile’s stepdad Wade Newman confirmed.
“It is nice to see the Boy Scout organization instilling a sense of community involvement in today’s youth. We appreciate Nathan for thinking of us and helping to ensure a good after-hours solution for our food program,” Prattville Church of Christ representative Charles Knapp said.
Gentile is looking to become an Eagle Scout, the highest ranking within the Boy Scouts Organization. But to become an Eagle Scout, there are many qualifications that need to be met before turning 18. Newman confirmed that there’s a set number of merit badges, community service and other specifications that need to be met.
Gentile has been in the Boy Scouts since he was in the first grade and becoming an Eagle Scout has been a goal of Gentile’s for a long time, he stated.
“It’s been a long road with a lot of work, and I feel that once I become an Eagle Scout, I’ll be able to not focus so much on reaching Eagle and just enjoying the rest of my time with my Troop. I know that there are advantages to becoming an Eagle Scout, and I am excited to see how it can help me with my future college, work and just life in general,” Gentile said.
This project helps not only fill a gap in the community but helps to push Gentile further up the rank to becoming an Eagle Scout. Gentile stated he loves being part of the organization because he gets to do different adventurous things every month such as camping, ziplining, white water rafting and so much more, while also being able to help the community.
“He laid it out in the three different phases. He got all the wood and had to template it out, he cut it and then the next phase was to assemble it, and then stock it with food and then to finally to present it. That was the last phase,” Newman said.
Newman also explained that the next step Gentile will have to take will be bringing a report to Troop 25. He will then have to take his report to the next level, which will be the council and then finally an Eagle Board of Review. If Gentile passes the next three phases, he will be awarded the rank of an Eagle.
Only around 4% of boys in the Boy Scouts Organization are awarded the rank of an Eagle.
“The Boy Scouts is a great organization for young men and young boys. It gives them the opportunity to get outside, to camp, to interact in leadership positions, to do community service, and the Eagle Project is the culmination of all that. The ability to see him plan, execute and manage, is something that most boys nowadays don’t get an opportunity to do. But Nathan found a need and saw a gap in the community and then filled it. I’m really proud of him,” Newman said.
Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie was also in attendance for the presentation of the pantry to the Prattville Church of Christ. Gillespie stated that the Boy Scouts and their projects are more than an organization, it’s a lifelong influence that empowers individuals to live and lead with honor and serve others.
“The Boy Scouts have proven to be a part of a brighter, more compassionate future for our community. This project will serve our community for years to come. I commend Nathan on his Eagle Scout Project,” Gillespie said.
