When Scott Krech, 16, settled upon his Eagle Scout service project, he decided to build a surgical suite for the Animal House rescue shelter in Fort Collins.
Now, most Eagle Scout projects are considerably less ambitious — hiking- trail improvements, drives for clothing or bicycles or toiletries for the homeless, painting community buildings. That sort of thing.
But Krech, a Fossil Ridge High School student, is thinking about becoming a surgeon. When he sat down with the Animal House staff to discuss possible projects, they suggested converting a supply closet into a surgery.
Animal House relies upon donated medical care. Having its own medical/surgical room would make things a little easier on the veterinarians who help Animal House by spaying and neutering animals, stitching up wounds and other procedures.
Krech thought it sounded much more interesting than the alternative — installing a storage shed — and hoped he could watch a procedure after the room was finished.
He spent most of December 2009 and part of January developing a proposal, estimating costs and finding donations. Soon he wished he’d paid more attention to the home-improvement projects that his family recently endured.
“As a result of this project, I’ve learned how to hang a door, how to level cabinets, and how to hang drywall,” he said.
“The whole leadership thing was the toughest part. Giving adults directions, or asking them what they thought I should do. Russ didn’t do anything until I told him to.”
Russ is Russ Wright, a Fort Collins contractor who offered technical and hands-on support. Wright guided Krech by asking questions and more questions.
What should replace the worn linoleum flooring? How would the new floor be cleaned? If shelter staff hosed down the room, how would water affect the cabinets? What kind of paint is best for walls that are likely to see more than their fair share of dirt, blood, urine and other body fluids?
“As a general contractor, I was truly impressed by this young man,” Wright said after watching Krech round up donations, organize work parties and coordinate subcontractors.
“I didn’t know how much work it was going to be when I started out,” Krech said.
He looked around the small surgical suite with an appraising eye. He knows which cabinets had to be modified to accommodate an inconveniently located wall pipe, and where the new flooring covers a repaired pothole that cost a full day to fix.
Still on the to-do list: a surgery-quality light. But the project is almost complete. And when it arrives, Krech hopes for an invitation to a procedure.
