On Sunday, February 4, Boy Scout Troop 175 celebrated the pinning of its 94th Eagle Scout in a Court of Honor Ceremony for Steven Sanders.

Sanders joined Scouting in first grade as a Tiger Cub and progressed through the organization to its highest rank, that of Eagle Scout.

As a Boy Scout, he earned 22 merit badges, held leadership positions, and completed a service project. Sanders’ Eagle Project was the installation of a paved pedestrian sidewalk for Oak Grove Elementary School in Peachtree City. Following the attacks on America on September 11, 2001, Fayette County Schools ordered that all exterior doors, except the front entrance, be locked so that no one could enter school buildings undetected. Because the largest parking lot at Oak Grove is behind the building, parents walked across the grass to reach the front door of the school.

Over time the footpath became worn and full of mud puddles. Principal Bonnie Hancock, asked Sanders to create a pedestrian-friendly path.

With the help of the School Boards’ Facilities Services Department and donations from the school’s PTO, the path that was originally planned as stepping stones and mulch became a paved concrete sidewalk.
Over 25 volunteers assisted with Sanders’ project with everything from setting and removing the forms, backfilling the edges of the walkway with dirt, painting directional signage, to spreading donated mulch under the trees to soften the landscaping around the site.

The sidewalk is used daily by staff, students, and visitors. Boy Scout Troop 175 has a long history of training young boys to become men of character. The troop is sponsored by the Peachtree City United Methodist Church and is under the leadership of Scoutmaster Danny McCranie. Sanders and his parents, Wayne and Debra Sanders, wish to thank Mr. McCranie, as well as past Scoutmasters Paul Spivey and Jeff Shafer for their leadership and guidance of Troop 175.

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