Scouts Beautify St. Damian Grounds with Eagle Scout Projects

Two local Boy Scouts seeking to attain their Eagle Scout ranking returned to their roots as the way to do it.

Alex Holewa and Ed Selman, both scouts with Troop 385 and graduates of St. Damian, designed their Eagle Scout projects to help beautify school property. Selman's efforts gifted the school with benches, while Holewa's spiffed up the sidewalk in front of the school, lining it with cobblestones.

"I just graduated from here," Selman said. "It's a great school, I really liked it." 

Both teens rounded up a group of roughly 20 fellow scout volunteer to help with their projects, beginning bright and early at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 13. Selman, a freshman at Brother Rice High School, and Oak Forest High School sophomore Alex Holewa raised funds to cover portions of the project, and also secured donated supplies for the rest. Selman accrued $260 during an Oberweis fundraiser.

The two acted as foremen on the job—supervising, delegating, and also pitching in. Selman oversaw the installation of two benches for teachers and kids, in the courtyard near the pre-school area of the school. Several dangerous stumps were also torn out, and replaced with sod. 

Holewa removed dead grass lining the front walkways, putting cobblestones in its place. It was exactly what Pastor Joe Noonan had wanted, he said.

"When I was in eighth grade, I asked Pastor Noonan what he wanted done, and he pulled out pictures of this," he said. 

Holewa and his family made a special, 20-hour journey (roundtrip) to the Upper Peninsula, handpicking the rocks from the shoreline of Lake Superior. 

The scouts wished to thank the donors who contributed to their projects. 

Ed Selman's List

• Home Depot (concrete and mulch liner)
• Belson (benches)
• Jason family (mulch)
• Chick-fil-A (lunch for 30 people)

Alex Holewa's List

• Saunoris Brothers (discounted materials, free delivery)
• Grafs Memorials (discounted stone engraving)
• Great American Bagel of Tinley Park (bagels for breakfast)
• Women's Club of St. Damian (monetary donation)
• Family and school of St. Damian (monetary donation)
• Grandma and Grandpa Durkin (proceeds from garage sale)