Salvation Army food pantry redesigned for Eagle Scout project - The Daily News of Newburyport

Salvation Army food pantry redesigned for Eagle Scout project - The Daily News of Newburyport

NEWBURYPORT — At 17 years old, Mikhail Mayer can’t purchase a lottery ticket, open his own bank account, or even vote. However, he is the architect behind the newly renovated food pantry at the Salvation Army Headquarters on Water Street.

The food pantry renovation is Mayer’s Eagle Scout project — a task completed by Boy Scouts before they achieve their highest rank. It must be a community-based project planned and executed by the scout. Mayer first started planning the project nearly a year ago, where he had to pitch a proposal and have it approved by the local Boy Scout Committee.

“That’s the thing that makes it unique is that you have to do this project, plan it yourself, and carry it out mostly yourself,” said Peter Larsen, Mayer’s Eagle Scout project adviser.

The food pantry, which is available to all Newburyport community members, is scheduled to be completed within the next few weeks. Mayer, a junior at Newburyport High School and current Eagle Scout candidate, first began his ambitious construction in early November. The project was suggested to Mayer by Salvation Army Major Todd Hughes.

“We have our meetings at the Salvation Army so I thought that we can benefit them since they benefit us by hosting our meetings,” said Mayer.

Mayer and fellow scouts of Troop 251 have completed the majority of the main construction and will install shelving for finishing touches.

The Salvation Army, at 40 Water St., is the home base for Newburyport’s Troop 251. Before the Senior Community Center opened in the late summer of 2015, the Salvation Army housed the Council on Aging. When they moved out, the Salvation Army now had this empty space in their building that became a place for storage.

Hughes said they needed a larger food pantry, which was a closet-sized space before Mayer took on the task, especially since several weekly meals are offered at the building. The project was to build a wall in the room to divide the space into one half of a space for a food pantry and the other half for the organization to use as counselling services.

“For a candidate for the rank of Eagle Scout, the scout had to solicit all the donations, he had to go to apply for a building permit and disposal permit for the demolition they had to do beforehand,” said Larsen, who is a veteran Eagle Scout himself. “It’s kind of a grown-up thing and that’s the intent of the Boy Scouts and those who want to do an Eagle Scout project.”

Mayer dismantled and disposed of a temporary accordion wall that had gone through the room. He and Mark Hogan, the contractor he recruited and worked with, built and framed a new wall to replace the makeshift accordion wall. Mayer and his helpers put up, plastered, and sanded down the drywall before repainting it a few times until it was presentable. This transformed the larger room into two sections.

“The scouts built up the wall and did the painting themselves,” said Hogan, a local contractor Mayer sought out. “The materials were donated locally by Timberline and Port Paint N’ Paper.”

Being extremely busy during the holiday season, the Salvation Army gives out an abundance of food to families in the North Shore region. With the need becoming greater, Mayer believes this space will benefit the community in a positive way when it comes to aiding those in need.

“It’s an ambitious project and is really needed at the time for this church and its ministries,” said Larsen. “This was one of those projects that was really satisfying to see a young person do.”

Next, Mayer will write a detailed report on his experiences — what went according to plan and what didn’t — the materials, the cost, and the donors. The main focus is on how this project formed Mayer as a leader, working with adults to get something accomplished.

“Because it originally started a year ago, I’m excited it’s in its last phase,” said Mayer. “It feels like a big success.”

Amanda Getchell covers Newburyport and Seabrook. She can be reached via email at agetchell@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3149. Follow her on Twitter @ajgetch.