RUSH Construction, The Boy Scouts of America and Volunteers Rebuild Aging House for Troop
The Boy Scouts of America organization is known for developing skills in young boys and men and instilling values such as serving its community. So when Troop 360 in Mims needed help, it was no surprise that there were others in the community who were ready to step up to aid them.
William Chivers, president of RUSH Construction, and George Mikitarian, president/CEO of Parrish Medical Center, have served many times together on community boards and committees, sharing a common passion to donate their time toward making the community a better place to live. During a discussion at an event, George mentioned to a group of folks how proud and excited he was to be a part of Boy Scouts, but expressed concern that the facility where his son’s troop meets (an old house, built in the 1930s and donated by Mims United Methodist Church) was in disrepair. The costs to repair the house were substantial and were too much of a burden for the church and troop to handle.
Hearing this, William immediately chimed up and said, “What can RUSH and I do to help?”
Once William and RUSH agreed to volunteer their leadership, he and George set out to raise either funds or in-kind donations for the materials that would be necessary for the project. Many companies also offered their assistance out of their relationship with RUSH, donating both time and materials. Members of the church also volunteered their time and talent to assist in the project.
It was a slow process to start due to unforeseen circumstances; however, with George’s leadership the project really took off. In fact, as a surprise to William, who was out of town in late November, the entire RUSH team, along with partners at LINK Contracting, Inc., decided to come together over a weekend and pull an “all hands on deck” work day November 22 to help speed up the completion of the project for the boys. Managers, directors, and other team members who wouldn’t normally be on the field at that time all chipped in to push construction along.
And their efforts paid off as George and William anticipated the house would be ready for use by Christmas.
Excited about the renovation project, Dave Melanson has been the Scout Master for Troop 360 for the past three years. He started as a Den Leader when his youngest boys were in the Cub Scouts, then moved up with them once they became part of the troop.
“This is a great opportunity for the youth up in the north end of the county,” said Scout Master Dave Melanson. “The Boy Scouts have been connected with Mims United Methodist Church for 51 years now and have produced nearly 40 Eagle Scouts. To be able to have this facility for years to come will be fantastic.”
“This ‘Scout House’ will be used by Boy Scout Troop 360 and its related Webelos and Cub Scout Packs, all sponsored by Mims United Methodist Church, as a place to hold their weekly meetings,” explained George. “These meetings are where the adult leaders work with the scouts to improve their leadership skills as well as enhance their talents, skills, and abilities so that they may become productive members of our community.”