Ethan Shaffer is known to volunteer his time in the community.
Shaffer, who holds the rank of a Life Scout in Troop 14, wanted to take his efforts a step further by installing an awning at the entrance of the North County Community Food Bank in Battle Ground.
As part of his Eagle Scout project, he completed the installation on Oct. 22.
Shaffer has volunteered at the food bank for four years and wanted to make people’s lives easier so they didn’t have to stand in the rain while waiting for their food.
“Whenever I was 12 years old, I started working at the food bank and every day it rained, we would have a line going out the food bank,” Shaffer said. “We would have many people, a lot of elderly and disabled individuals, out there standing in the rain for 30 minutes at most, and they’re just standing in the cold rain, so I thought it’d be a good idea to get them some type of protection and cover.”
After talking to his troop and the people who run the food bank, he then went to the Battle Ground City Council to inquire about the different permits he would need for the project and to ensure it was up to code. Overall, the planning and negotiations took around three months, he said.
Shaffer explained a Life Scout is the rank before an Eagle Scout. The project will help him move up the ladder.
The 17-year-old said his experience volunteering at the food bank has been rewarding.
“I’ve always loved working there and working with the people, and really getting to know the community,” he said.
This past summer, Shaffer took on a paid position as a facilities assistant in the food bank’s warehouse.
“I do a lot of maintenance and landscaping,” he said.
Shaffer’s father, Kevin, said Ethan started planning the project in 2020, but couldn’t execute it at that time because of the pandemic.
Kevin said they picked the project back up this spring as they searched for more donations. They struggled through that process until Eastside Steel decided to donate the steel needed in August.
Acquiring the steel for the frame of the awning was their “biggest hang-up,” so the duo is grateful for Eastside Steel’s donation.
Shaffer is the one who contacted the company by submitting his letters. He also took on the negotiating process.
Kevin is proud of his son who he said did a great job with the project.
Besides Eastside Steel, Alex Gaudet and his company Efficient Dryer Venting, donated much of the sheet metal that was used for the project.
