The Kiwanis of Greater Swedesboro presented a donation to Eagle Scout Candidate Benjamin Miller last month. He will use the money to construct a boardwalk in Tranquility Trails in Woolwich Township. Pictured here are (left to right) Kiwanis Secretary/Race Director Christopher Wilbraham, Kiwanis Board Director Brian Altmann, Benjamin Miller, and Kiwanis President Marty Caparros.
WOOLWICH TWP. – Eagle Scout candidate Ben Miller is using his Eagle Scout project to keep hikers on Tranquility Trail in Woolwich out of a wet, slippery situation.
Miller, a member of Swedesboro Boy Scout Troop 13, is working on building a boardwalk. Miller said that he and many other people use the trail and there is always an issue of mud at the entrance of the trail.
Currently, he said, there are a few random boards placed on the ground. “There is an existing boardwalk over an extremely wet area, but it is way too short, and as a result, it’s sinking in the mud. Everyone who goes to the trails has to either avoid that entrance entirely or attempt to jump around on those random boards,” he stated.
To fix this, he is building a 94 foot boardwalk that spans the entire muddy area, making the trail more accessible, he said, to strollers, bikes, and pets. He added that he will be relocating the exiting boardwalk to a smaller muddy area further up the trail.
“My Eagle Scout project boardwalk will be modeled after a similar boardwalk located at the Wenonah Conservation Area Trail,” Miller said. The Tranquility Trails boardwalk will contain a 30 degree turn in order to preserve the surrounding trees and vegetation. The height of the boardwalk would follow the terrain and will be as level as possible to the terrain.
Miller said he is hoping the project will be complete by August 2021. “I plan to have construction of supports at my house, and the assembling of the boards would be on site and take around two days. The volunteers would consist of Troop 13 members.”
As part of the Eagle Scout project, Miller is responsible for raising the money necessary for his plans. To do this, he collected donations at the Spring Fling at Locke Ave. on May 22. Miller said that in addition to a very generous donation from the Kiwanis of Greater Swedesboro, family, friends, and the general Swedesboro, Woolwich, and Logan communities, he has received over $1,600 in donations.
“I am so grateful for the community-wide support for my project, and I hope I can exceed our community’s expectations with an excellent trail entrance at Tranquility Trails. It has been an honor to partner with the Kiwanis Club and I’m so grateful to be recognized and supported by them and the 08085 Run/Walk.
If you would like information on how to join the Kiwanis of Greater Swedesboro to help with other community projects, visit https://www.kiwanisgs.org/Page/27020.
