Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts from Northern Blair County have 8,400 good reasons to get together tomorrow!
As part of the state Department of Transportation’s Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Project, the groups are planning to plant 8,400 daffodil bulbs to the right of the Tyrone exit lane off Interstate 99.
“This is just a wonderful project that we’re just glad we can be a part of,” said Pete Kreckel, scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 300 at St. Matthews, “and we’re hoping others in the community see the benefits of this idea and come down and get a little dirty with us.”
According to Kreckel, the group will gather in the parking lot of the Old Villa Restaurant at 8 a.m. , then proceed to the site to begin the work.
“This is going to be a huge effort and community support is most welcome,” said Kreckel. “If you have any expertise, or just a desire to help your community along with the ambitious youth in our scouting program, you are invited to gather with the scouts to begin this worthwhile project.
“People always say there’s nothing to do in Tyrone and that they’re always bored. Well if 4,200 of these bored people come out and plant just two bulbs apiece, we’ll have this thing done in no time.”
Kreckel said PENNDOT has marked the beds where the bulbs are to be planted. They will be planted six inches apart and six inches deep. He said Jeff Glace, assistant scoutmaster, rototilled 2,500-square feet of the area yesterday, to prepare the ground for tomorrow’s work party.
“We’re really excited, not just because of what the finished project will look like, but also because of what this will do for the scouts,” said Kreckel. “I believe competition is good among organizations, but sometimes people need to work together. This will give all these scouts the opportunity to meet scouts from other groups, make some friends and share some ideas.
“It’s not just Tyrone that will benefit from this project,” he continued. “Everyone who participates will feel good once this thing is finished.”
According to Kreckel, the project got underway about a month ago when a PENNDOT official contacted him to see if he would be interested in having his scouts work on a Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Project – a program designed to make interchanges in Pennsylvania more aesthetic.
“When he called, he said about us planting a couple thousand bulbs, and I was like ‘okay’,” he said. “But when he called back a week later, he told me they (PENNDOT) had some extra money and ordered a little extra.
“Now, I have more than 800 pounds of these things sitting in my garage.”
In addition to the teamwork and friendship building that will go along with this project, Kreckel said it will also teach the youngsters the importance of patience.
“Everybody wants instant gratification in everything they do nowadays,” he said. “These things won’t pop up for another six months, but they’re going to get at least five years out of them.”
Kreckel asks those who are willing to help to bring their own garden tools, such as tools and rakes, to help dig the trenches for the planting. He said he hopes others will be willing to bring hot chocolate, donuts or other such food items for the work party.
“We’re all real excited about this community project and we’re hoping the community gets just as excited as we are about it.”
