The view outside of a local assisted living facility will be a bit sweeter for residents following a change in scenery.
Kenwood Manor at Good Samaritan Village in Bethlehem now has six new birdfeeders installed throughout its grounds thanks to the work of Delmar Boy Scout Zach Barfield. Barfield took the project on in an effort to obtain his Eagle Scout Award with Delmar-Elsmere Troop 58.
Barfield said he had already been volunteering at the center when he decided to ask if any other projects were needed that would meet his award requirements.
“Zach had been volunteering as part of his Participation in Government class and was helping call bingo for a few weeks when he asked me about doing a project for his Eagle award,” said Kathy Parker, the facility’s activities director.
Parker said she thought more birdhouses or feeders would be nice for the residents. Several were fans of birdwatching, but the feeders Kenwood Manor had outside were getting old.
Barfield, who graduated in June and will be attending SUNY Geneseo this fall, said it took more time than expected to complete the project.
“I started putting the plans down on paper in March and planned to have them built and installed in June, but with finals, graduation and starting college, I began to procrastinate,” he said.
He said other elements of the project didn’t go exactly as expected either.
The 18-year-old thought he would be building the feeders himself, with some help from his dad. Instead he had to draw up the plans, write a paper on safety procedures and get donations for the materials. Once all of that was done, he mostly took on a leadership role, helping instruct younger members of the troop on how to build the feeders and later install them.
The feeders were finally installed on Saturday, July 26.
“I think they came out great,” said Barfield. “We have leftover materials, so we are thinking of building extras to either donate or sell them so the troop can raise some extra money.”
Parker said Barfield was a pleasure to work with, and he interacted well with the residents.
“We had a resident who passed away recently, who for many years was very active with the Scouts and Troop 58,” said Parker. “Zach became friendly with his wife, Helen Bauer, and when Ken passed, Zach took it upon himself to have the entire troop show up at his wake. Zach went over and above, and I know that meant a lot to Helen.”
Parker said she thinks the residents will get lots of enjoyment out of the feeders. Three have been placed at the front of the building and three at the back, so residents can also watch the birds eat from the dining room.
Barfield said he’s proud to have remained in the Scouts throughout high school and is glad he gets to finish on a high note.
“I think it teaches an entirely different skill-set than in school or sports,” said Barfield. “You learn not just about the outdoors, but great life skills like citizenship and communication. You also get to interact with different groups of people you may not have met otherwise. … I think the Scouts are a great experience for everyone.”