Quaker Valley junior builds 2 mountain biking bridges for Eagle Scout project
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Spencer Wiehe, a junior at Quaker Valley High School has a passion for mountain biking.
The combination of the speed, terrain and nature’s beauty can attract a lot of teens to this hobby.
In part, it was this love of biking that led Wiehe to choose his Eagle Scout project. With help from Trail Pittsburgh, Wiehe built two mountain biking bridges in North Park.
The process took about six months from start to finish. The goal of Eagle Scout projects is to not only do something good for the community, but also have a Scout demonstrate the leadership qualities needed as an adult.
Wiehe had several tasks that he himself had to complete prior to enlisting volunteers and actually building the bridges.
Steps included choosing a project; creating a budget and establishing funds for the project; writing a proposal for area leadership approval; recruiting volunteers; completing the project; and discussing the project with a board of review.
With the help of about 20 Scouts and volunteers, the two bridges were completed over the course of two weekends in October.
“Seeing the outpouring of response really makes you see that people are there for you,” Wiehe said.
Jamie Pfaeffle, a volunteer at Trail Pittsburgh, helped Wiehe coordinate the project and echoes his sentiments.
“Trail Pittsburgh has had numerous Scouts assist with projects over time, and I have never had a bad experience with any. They are always well-organized and have a full team of additional support through Scout volunteers and families.”
While the municipalities and Commonwealth may manage various maintenance aspects of the parks, there is always more to be done.
“The areas that Spencer improved are very well-utilized, in part because of the close proximity to the Nature Center. Mountain bikers, trail runners, dog walkers and those participating in guided nature hikes all use this area and will benefit from Spencer’s work,” Pfaeffle said. It will also assist the area naturalists to gain access to the wetlands. Without volunteers to help, there would be none of these great trails for the public.”
Spencer lives in Sewickley with his dad, Oliver, and sister, Grace. His family has a strong history of Scout accomplishments. His dad is the Scoutmaster for Troop 243, his brother, Travis, 22, achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, and his sister, Elizabeth, 20, is a Gold Award recipient in Girl Scouts.