POSTED BY DAVE ANDERSON

These boy scouts are shoveling and hauling gravel at a rapid rate for two reasons.
First, they want to work hard.
Secondly, they want to get out of the rain as soon as possible.
Sunday's rain did its best to put a damper on Matthew Ortman's Eagle project.

"At the beginning, it was pretty bad. It was raining everywhere and everyone was like their spirits were down." said Ortman.

Down but not out as scouts from Troop 106 in Hermantown raced to help Matthew earn his Eagle Award.
To become an Eagle Scout, a young man must earn 21 merit badges and then plan a service project like these trail repairs at Hartley.

"They have to do a service to the community and it is to show how they can lead a group of boys by themselves and come up with a project to do something for the community." said Scoutmaster Jim Belden.

Ortman's project will make a loop of trail at Hartley handicapped accessible.

"The idea is that it'll be a loop compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act so it'll provide wheel chair access through the woods." said Peter Gravette of Hartley Nature Center.

If Matthew Ortman's trail project is successful, he'll join two million other young men from around the world who have become Eagle Scouts since 1911.
It's a tough task made less troublesome by Matthew's volunteer recruiting skills.

"I wouldn't say it's really hard work because I have 27 members from Boy Scouts and their parents helping with me." said Matthew.

It's that display of leadership that will likely earn the junior from Hermantown High School the rank of Eagle Scout.
At Hartley Nature Center, Dave Anderson, the Northland's News Center.

Other young men who've earned the Eagle rank recently include Jason Triska from the Cook area and Mitchell Hanson from the Aurora–Hoyt Lakes–Biwabik area.