Scouts earn Eagle rank through projects benefiting Dave’s House

A pair of brothers from Dr. Phillips recently celebrated achieving one of the highest advancement ranks in Boy Scouts.

Stephen Morton, 17, and his brother, 15-year-old Bryan, both achieved the rank of Eagle Scout through projects they completed to benefit Dave’s House, an organization that provides permanent supportive housing to individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring disabilities. Both projects are kept at a facility of a partner organization, Aspire Health Partners’ Kate’s Place. 

“At first, I didn’t feel like much had changed, because I still felt like it was me — I just got the Eagle Scout award,” Bryan Morton said. “After some time and letting it sink in, I really felt amazed and proud of my accomplishments.”

The Morton brothers each have been in the Boy Scouts — which recently changed its name to Scouts BSA — since the first grade and are members of Troop 225. They also are the third generation in their family to support Dave’s House. Their grandparents, Mary and Steve Holloway, along with parents, Wendy and Rob Morton, have been longtime supporters of the organization.

“My parents were friends with the founders before they started this organization,” Wendy Morton said. “We’ve kind of been on board since the beginning.”

Stephen Morton is a senior at Dr. Phillips High School and part of the Center for International Studies Magnet Program. His Eagle Scout project took 140 volunteer hours, and he raised $1,560. With that money, he was able to purchase and donate to Dave’s House 20 three-month supply toiletry bags, a 43-inch smart TV with wall mount and a PlayStation 4 console along with five video games, controllers and five board games. After expenses, he was able to donate the remaining $500 to Dave’s House. 

“My project helped me build my leadership and fundraising skills,” Stephen said. “I wanted to do a project that would continue to benefit people for years and help them enjoy life a little more whenever they visit Kate’s Place.”

Wendy Morton added that Stephen’s project focused on social interaction for the clients of Dave’s House.

Bryan Morton is a sophomore at DPHS and part of the Television Production and Digital Video Production Magnet Program. In his project, he built gardening beds for Dave’s House clients to grow fresh produce. The plants are protected with chicken wire wrapped around PVC pipes. His project took 131 volunteer hours, and he raised $1,136. After project expenses, he was able to donate $300 to Dave’s House. 

“I built two raised-garden beds that are protected from pests like raccoons and other large pests,” Bryan Morton said. “Dave’s House can use (the garden beds) to grow new items of food … and also (provides) for them to have a (relaxing outlet) through gardening.”

One of the requirements of attaining the rank of Eagle Scouts is that a scout must earn at least 21 merit badges. The Morton brothers each had more than that when they became Eagle Scouts. Bryan had 31 merit badges by the time he became an Eagle Scout, and Stephen had more than 40.

“You only need 21 merit badges to get Eagle, so they were above and beyond what they needed for Eagle rank,” Wendy Morton said.