BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Editor

When Pine Knob Elementary acquired two Black Labrador therapy dogs last spring, school officials had some ideas about what the dogs may need at their home away from home.
It was about the same time Joshua Ellingsworth, a Life Scout with Troop 185, approached Pine Knob Principal Jodi Yeloushan about ideas for his Eagle Scout project. She quickly related to him the need for a pet waste system for the new therapy dogs. Ellingsworth agreed that would be a great idea and it would be a project that would give back to his elementary school as well as the community.
“I wanted to do it to help out my school,” Ellingsworth said. “I knew the therapy dogs (Charlie and Vinnie) were going to need some place to do their business, other than near the playground in the back of the school.”
Ellingsworth recognized building a waste container was the minimum he could do for the school and brainstormed how he could further assist the dogs and school.
His idea was to make an enclosed dog run that would provide a confined area for the dogs to leave their waste and keep it away from the school children playing on the playground.
Ellingsworth contacted a local fence company and worked out a deal to buy all the materials he needed for the fencing project.
Then, he needed concrete. The manager of Lowe’s in White Lake supplied him with the concrete and a few more needed items. In order to make the dog run secure, it was crucial the posts be dug below the freeze line.
Ellingsworth was able to rent the post hole digger from Home Depot for this aspect of the project.
He then sent out the message to his fellow scouts that he needed their assistance in completing his Eagle Project.
With all the supplies assembled, the project began on a cool, crisp November morning. Scouts and parents from Troop 185 came out to offer Ellingsworth a helping hand. The project took just two days to complete with everyone working together.
The completed project was a chain-link fenced in dog run with a dog waste system and fire hydrant. Further benefits include a safe area the children can watch and bond with the dogs.
Ellingsworth hopes to finish all aspects of the Eagle and earn the Eagle rank.
“Scouts has improved my life, both at home and at school,” said Ellingsworth. “I am able to speak with adults and students better. I have improved my leadership skills in sports and at school when working with groups.”
He added scouts has been an amazing aspect to his life.
“To anyone that isn’t in scouts, you’re missing out,” Ellingsworth said. “There are so many fun adventures. You can learn so much about yourself, and you can learn different skills. You can also camp and meet so many new people. As well as those things, if you join scouts and complete your Eagle rank, jobs and colleges are more likely to accept you because they know you will have learned more leadership skills and are dedicated.”
In essence, it’s all worth it in the end.
“Although getting through scouts is very difficult, it is very rewarding in the end once you finish,” said Ellingsworth.