Grand Rapids teen repairs headstones for Eagle project

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Scoutmaster Steve Weihl
(left) and Eagle Scout Ben Thomas pose Sunday afternoon. (Photo: Shane
Hughes/Sentinel-Tribune)

An Otsego teenager repaired 20 headstones at the Washington Township Cemetery for his Eagle Scout
project.
Ben Thomas received Boy Scouts’ highest honor in an April 6 ceremony.
For his project, Ben replaced the concrete bases of 20 headstones, which were leaning.
He removed the headstone from the old base and dug out the old piece of concrete base. He then leveled
off the bottom of the hole and made a wooden frame that was the right size for the hole.
He and other volunteers mixed the new concrete at the cemetery and then poured the right amount in each
of the holes. After the concrete dried, they took the frames off and slid the headstones back onto the
new base.
This project was funded by the Washington Township Trustees.
Ben plans to attend Owens Community College, majoring in a diesel mechanics or farm mechanics program.

The son of Kathy and Roger Thomas, Grand Rapids, Ben is a senior at Otsego High School where he has a 3.5
grade point average. He takes college prep courses and wood shop and is a member and treasurer of Otsego
FFA.
He is a member of Tontogany Troop 347. The Scoutmaster is Steve Weihl.
Ben loves to spend his time farming. He enjoys working with the neighbors and helping with anything that
needs done, such as repairing the farm equipment, planting, working ground, harvesting and taking care
of the cattle.
He has several awards and honors, including State FFA Degree, Chapter FFA Degree, the Earl Whitmer Award
Agricultural Mechanics and Outstanding Agri Science II Award. Ben represented Otsego FFA in Tractor
Operator’s Contest at Wood County Fair the past three years, taking first place in 2013. He is also a
Wood County Junior Fair Board Representative.

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