Scouts become Eagles

Braving the blistering summer heat, four scouts from Troop 16 cleared rocks and stumps from trails along the Carson River on Thursday to help Matt Henry earn the rank of Eagle Scout.

"It's not that bad actually," said Henry, 16, as he took a break for lunch. "I have good workers today."

Eric Klug's project also went more smoothly than he had anticipated. Klug, 17, taught a group of special-needs children from Fremont Elementary School basic outdoor survival skills.

"I wanted to do something for the special-needs kids," he said. "I have a soft spot in my heart for them."

Along the banks of Washoe Lake, he taught classes on knife, fire and water safety as well as first-aid.

"It went great," Klug said. "It ran smoothly. I wasn't sure if it would."

Henry, who lives just minutes from the river, consulted with the Parks Department on what projects needed done.

"They had a list of stuff they wanted," he said. He chose to replace old chicken wire wrapped around the trees to protect them from beavers, improve the trails and pick up trash and debris.

With help from friends in his troop, he set out to complete the project this week and the work is going more quickly than he had anticipated.

Jeff Bushey, 15, helped Henry with the project and thinks he knows why they have been able to maintain a rapid pace.

"He has his own little nickname - 'Matt the Tyrant,'" Bushey said. "That might explain it."

However, his mother, June, said Henry has gained leadership skills from the project.

"It helps him to become more well-rounded," she said. "It gives him a good foundation for life."

John Hefner, 13, Thomas Schwedhelm, 16, and Daniel Miles, 15, also helped Henry on Thursday.

"It's so he'll help me with my Eagle project," Miles said.

Klug will be a senior at Carson High School and Henry will be a junior.