County approves Kason Burchett’s Eagle Scout project to refurbish veterans memorial

August 17

14:12 2024

Print This Article Share it With Friends

By Tony Pilkington and Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan

The Stephens County Veterans Memorial will soon be refurbished with a new stone and repainted names, as well as other improvements, according to the Eagle Scout plan of Breckenridge Scout Kason Burchett.

The Breckenridge High School junior presented his preliminary plan to the Stephens County Commissioners at their meeting last week, seeking permission to refurbish the existing monument and add new features. The commissioners approved the plan and have provided Burchett with a letter of approval for the project.

Breckenridge Scout Kason Burchett presented his Eagle Scout plan for refurbishing the Stephens County Veterans Memorial to the commissioners on Monday, Aug. 12. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

At the meeting, he explained to the commissioners the significance of the Eagle Scout rank and the process of earning it.

“Earning your Eagle Scout merit badge is quite an honor. Only about 2 percent of all Boy Scouts are able to achieve it,” Burchett said. “…basically you have to go through several classes, which are called merit badge classes. You have to have 21 required merit badges, some of which include personal management, first aid, … personal fitness and swimming and stuff like that. You have to have several hours of community service. You have to go through several ranks before that, Scout, Tenderfoot, First Class, Second Class, Star and Life rank before you can get to Eagle. You have to be at most of those ranks have certain amount of time. … you basically have to stick to it, get your Eagle Scout project done.”

Scouts working on an Eagle project must have a counselor or coach to work with them. The project has to be something that will benefit the community but won’t benefit the individual Scout or Boy Scouts organization, said Burchett, who is a member of local Scouts BSA Troop 63.

County Judge Michael Roach said that when Burchett approached him several months ago, asking for input for projects that would benefit the community, Roach suggested refurbishing the veterans memorial that is located on the southwest corner of the Stephens County Courthouse lawn.

The County had planned to add another stone to the memorial, and many of the names that are engraved on the stones are faded. Some families have taken it upon themselves to re-ink their family members’ names, Roach said, emphasizing that there are a lot of updates that need to be made.

Burchett agreed with the judge’s assessment and decided to take on the veterans memorial for his Eagle Scout project.

“I’ve always loved respecting our veterans, because they laid their life down on the line for us, for us to be here today in this court,” Burchett said at the meeting. “And you brought this idea, and I loved it, because I have several family members … who were veterans or are in the military right now. And I figured we needed to pay more respect to them out there, because … you’re right (the memorial) needs an update and refurbished.”

Roach said the preliminary plan is to also add lighting to the flagpole at the memorial, as well as lighting around the memorial to light it up at night. Additionally, there will be some engraving done on the new stone and on the last stone that was installed.

“So he’s going to be organizing, designing, bringing some renderings, some ideas back to the court,” Roach said.

With the letter of approval, Burchett will be able to approach businesses for bids on various parts of the project, as well as for donations of time and/or money.

Eagle Scout projects are done in phases, said Brian Kight, a volunteer with the local Scout troop. Once Burchett has the planning phase completed and has the financing worked out, he will present it to the Project Council for approval. Then, he will get to start on the work on the memorial, Kight said.

Burchett will serve as the project manager, Kight said, explaining that Eagle Scout projects are all about leadership and management experience.

Roach said they would like to have the project completed by Memorial Day 2025.

The Stephens County Veterans Memorial is located on the southwest corner of the courthouse lawn and is the location of the the VFW Auxiliary’s annual Memorial Day service, pictured above. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Cutline, top photo: On Aug. 12, Kason Burchett spoke to the Stephens County Commissioners Court about his proposed Eagle Scout project to refurbish the county’s veterans memorial. The commissioners approved his preliminary plan. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)