Area Student Achieves Rank Of Eagle Scout

OCEAN CITY - Trevor Mathias, Ocean City, of Boy Scout Troop 225 and a senior at Worcester Preparatory School, completed all the requirements for his Eagle Scout Rank for Boy Scouts of America.

In order to obtain the Eagle Rank, scouts must earn 21 merit badges, serve as a leader in his troop and complete a major service project of benefit to the community in general, his school or church. Mathias earned 29 merit badges, served as scribe, senior patrol leader and instructor, and chose to rebuild the six information signs at the Ocean City Inlet as his service project.

The signs had been in place since 1992 and were in need of replacement. Mathias began his project by meeting with National Park Service representatives, who provided panels for the signs through their Wayside Sign Program. He then met with officials from the Town of Ocean City who had installed the signs over a decade ago. The original installations were accomplished by placing the signs on wooden bases and attaching them to the Boardwalk decking with L brackets. These brackets, over time, had become rusted and weak, and the frames of the signs had worn and chipped.

After soliciting local businesses for materials needed to rebuild the signs, Mathias planned and coordinated the project using labor and resources from fellow scouts, scout leaders, friends and family within the community.

The old signs were demolished and the frames and panels were stripped, cleaned and repainted. New wooden frames were constructed off site and then reinstalled by sinking the posts below the Boardwalk decking and securing them to the structural foundation. The decking was replaced and the new panels installed.

A local vehicle painting facility joined in the effort and repainted the frames using paint approved by the National Park Service.

Mathias, the son of Kathy and Jim Mathias, spent 55 hours implementing and working on the project. In addition to Mathias' work, there was a total of 290.75 total volunteer hours for the project. Mathias will be honored as an Eagle Scout on Aug. 4 at the Holy Savior Catholic Church in Ocean City.

Boy Scout Troop 225, chartered by the Ocean City Elks Lodge, will clean and maintain the signs as a community service project.