White Chooses Children's Museum for Eagle Scout Project

The Children's Museum of Northeast Montana's website says, "Our Children's Museum was created by community members in 2005." What it does not mention is that the museum continues to grow and thrive with more contributions from the community.

Take for example the recent project undertaken by Tanner White. The young man was looking for a project to earn his Eagle Scout badge in the Boy Scouts. He reached out to Stacey Fast, executive director of the Children's Museum, to see if the organization had anything that needed doing.

Responding in the affirmative, Fast provided White with a number of ideas and pictures of her vision for the Pioneer Valley room, which she hopes to have open this summer. Inspired by an exhibit at the Museum of the Rockies and armed with pictures and ideas provided by Fast, White set to work.

Keeping in mind that an Eagle Scout project is designed to teach young leaders how to organize, delegate, plan and coordinate, White set to work gathering supplies and tools, organizing his work crew and budgeting. On a Saturday late in January, he brought together his crew of 15 people, including Eagle Scouts, younger scouts, and adult leaders to bring his project to life.

Over the course of four hours, the crew measured and cut wood, assembled the design, and stained and finished the project. When the Pioneer Valley exhibit, focused on the adventures of Lewis and Clark, opens this summer young visitors to the museum will find a plastic river set up with fish and highlighted by White's bridge and fishing boat. Fishing poles with magnets will allow children to "catch" fish while seated in the boat in front of a Lewis and Clark mural donated by the Pioneer Museum.

White, who started in the Cub Scouts at age eight, was humble about donating his project to the Children's Museum. "Because I've always loved this place, always loved coming here as a kid," he said when asked why he chose the nonprofit. "I thought they could use some help."

By age 11, he was in the Boy Scouts, gaining new experiences and growing as a future leader. "I've been able to have fun experiences with my friends and learn new things," White said of his years in the organization. Having completed his Eagle Scout project, he will now move on to high adventure activities with the Boy Scouts.

The Museum continues its work on the building's exterior as well. A letter addressed Jan. 27 to Fast and the Museum from the MDU Resources Foundation announced that a grant request in the amount of $6,000 for funding of the Phase 1 exterior renovation project (See The Glasgow Courier, Jan. 29, 2020, edition "Children's Museum Receives Grant to Update Exterior") had been approved.

The grant, which will be payable in March, was awarded on behalf of the MDU Resources Foundation and their member companies, Cascade Natural Gas Corporation, Intermountain Gas Company, Knife River Corporation, MDU Construction Services Group, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., and WBI Energy, Inc.