Eagle Scout candidates are required to complete a service project to reach the prestigious ranking.
For many, it is the most difficult part of that journey. The project is meant to demonstrate the scout’s leadership, planning, and problem-solving abilities, and must benefit a school, religious institution or community organization.
To that end, aspiring Eagle Scout Jacob Brasel has created a Diaper Drive.
“My Eagle project is a supply drive for Anew, a nonprofit organization that provides care and support to victims of domestic abuse,” he said.
“My mother knew some people who had connections to the organization, which gave me the opportunity to do something for them.
“Their office is in Homewood.
“The project would have taken two months to complete, considering the time that it took me to propose, plan, and execute the project.
“The hardest part of the project for me was trying to get started working on it. I felt so overwhelmed and scared that I didn’t work on anything for the longest time.
“You could say that every donation that people give to this project has mine and Anew’s appreciation.
“I did have some of my Scouts help me with my project. I would like to thank them for giving some of their time to help make this project possible and supporting the organization.”
To complete his project, Jacob is asking for donations of diapers and larger sized Pull-ups, baby wipes, cleaning supplies (Windex, Comet, bleach), dish soap and scrub pads, laundry detergent and fabric softener, deodorant, hair products, bar and liquid hand soap, bodywash, feminine hygiene products, Kleenex, toilet paper and paper towels, Q-tips and cotton balls.
In Monee, there is a drop-off box at the police department on Main Street. The box will be there through July 2.
A graduate of Peotone High School, he is a member of the National Honor Society, as well as the National Technical Honors Society in his senior year at Kankakee Area Career Center. In high school, he was active in soccer, basketball, baseball and art club.
He has been a part of scouting since he was in elementary school and joined Scouts in the summer of 2019. He is now a member of Crete Troop 123.
“I am a part of Order of the Arrow, which is Scouting’s National Honors Society and it acts as an extension of the programs Scouting America offers,” he said.
“I did not always think that I was going to go the path of attaining Eagle Rank, but I seem so close now that I felt that I should go for it.
“What inspired me to achieve Eagle rank was when I started moving up to higher ranks. At that point, it looked like a possible goal.
“Scouting America,” he said, “is an amazing organization and offers many experiences that you just can’t get anywhere else.”
Jacob is the son of Karen Wood-Brasel and Michael W. Brasel. He has a twin brother, Michael.
“Working on this Eagle Scout project has taught Jacob a lot of project management and leadership skills,” his mother said.
“I think the biggest lesson he’s learned is perseverance through adversity, which means he is gaining the grit and real-world skills to be successful at whatever he ultimately chooses to do.
“I can’t wait to see how he makes this world a better place,” she added.
“My father would like to say that he is very proud of how far I have come in everything I do,” Jacob said, “from scouting to school to sports to everything.”
His Court of Honor is slated to take place in August at Crete United Methodist Church.