For his Eagle Project with Boy Scout Troop 318, Jack McDonnell, a soon-to-be sophomore at Lincoln-Way East, created a plan to rehab a historic highway marker in front of Lincoln-Way Central High School. The Lincoln Highway marker was originally installed by the Boy Scouts nearly 100 years ago. The project is not only a service to the community but a way to honor those who came before him in the organization.
Jack had to meet with the Will County Land Use Department Development Review Division to secure a Certificate of Appropriateness, which was necessary to begin work on the project. To raise money for supplies, Jack organized a fundraiser at Gatto’s in New Lenox, who donated the food and event space. As the marker and gazebo are on Lincoln-Way Central property, McDonnell worked closely with Dr. McNamara and other administrators to ensure the renovation would be well-received by staff and students.
Over the span of three workdays, McDonnell and several other volunteers went to work to restore the highway marker. On the first day, they washed and sanded down the gazebo and primed it for painting. The second day of the project included painting the gazebo and planting perennials to give new life to the area. On the final day, Jack inspected their work and did any necessary touch ups.
The project was completed on April 29th, 2023, with the addition of several solar lights to illuminate the signage and highway marker. All supplies leftover from the project were donated to the school district, as per Boy Scout Eagle Project guidelines.
We want to congratulate Jack for his hard work and dedication to this project and thank him for renovating an important and historical part of our Central campus.
