Sebastian Hensiek, a recent graduate of Holy Ghost Preparatory School, completed his Eagle Scout project at Woods Services last month. Sebastian explains, “an Eagle Scout project is required to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. It is the culmination of years of Boy Scout work and is meant to deliver something positive to the community. By the end of this project I will have spent over 120 hours on the project itself”.
He planned out and executed the planting of a garden in Pinewood, one of Woods’ residential buildings. Leslie Dunkley, the manager of the residence, shares, “Sebastian was given a blank slate to work with and because of his knowledge, creativity and hard work he gave Pinewood a beautiful garden for our clients to enjoy. Pinewood clients have taken an interest in the garden by watering the plants and flowers daily and picking weeds when needed.”
Sebastian chose Woods Services for his Eagle Scout project because “[he] wanted to do a service project that helped those with emotional challenges and developmental disabilities.” He has an uncle who has a disability, which is one of the reasons this project meant so much to him.
He shares, 
“I worked with Victoria Brossy to determine what project would be of most use and we decided that I should plant a perennial flower garden in the atrium of one of the housing buildings. I was told that there had been nothing there for almost 10 years so the idea of brightening the space with colors from nature appealed to me. I worked the soil and added in fertilizer and peat moss in order to lighten the soil and to prepare it for the plants so that they would grow well. I researched various perennials to see when they would bloom, what type of care they required and how large they would eventually become. I then sketched out an idea of where the plants should be placed for maximum effect. I worked with Russell Gardens Wholesale Nursery who kindly donated the plants for the project. I assembled a team of 4 -5 friends who helped me prepare the soil and plant the perennials. We also mulched the garden and watered the plant material. By choosing the plants that I chose, there should be something blooming in the garden from April until October. I was very pleased with the way the garden turned out and it is my hope that the people living there will enjoy it for many years to come. Through this project, I realized how much I enjoyed gardening and working with the soil. I hope to find ways to continue this new hobby.”
Mrs. Hensiek, Sebastian’s mother, shares, “I am so pleased that Sebastian worked as hard as he did to complete not only this project but to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. He has been working toward this goal since he was in fifth grade. The garden looks beautiful and totally transforms the space. It is my hope that the residents enjoy looking at it and relaxing in this special garden.”
Thank you Sebastian for bringing new life to the residents of Pinewood and congratulations on achieving the rank of Eagle Scout!
If you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming a Woods’ volunteer, please email Victoria Brossy, Coordinator of Volunteers, at volunteers@woods.org.
