BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Editor

Two Clarkston residents recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout by virtue of completing community service projects.
Brooke Muzzy (pictured top), a scout with Troop 185G in Clarkston, cleared new paths and installed benches along the lakefront at Orion Township’s Camp Agawam, while Nathaniel Smith received his award for planning and executing an ADA-compliant pathway at Independence Oaks County Park.
With the final criteria met, it is almost certain that Muzzy will be the first female Eagle in the local Pontiac-Manito District since the movement began welcoming female participants in 2019. The rank is scouting’s highest honor, achieved by only four percent of youth in the program.

“It means everything to me,” Muzzy said. “I wanted to be part of it ever since I was six years old and my brother joined Cub Scouts. When I was 15, we formed Troop 185G, and two and a half years later, here I am.”
Her project transformed much of the Tommy’s Lake waterfront at Agawam. While access was previously limited to a small swim area and fishing dock, Muzzy’s footpaths and benches provide patrons with a new opportunity to experience the lake’s natural beauty. Furthermore, the scouts took special care to remove invasive plant life from the area as they worked.
“Behind the scenes there was fundraising and budgeting and paperwork,” Muzzy said. “There’s always more behind the scenes.”
Smith said he chose his particular project that benefits the local park “because of how much I enjoy spending time walking and running on the trails.”
“The project took place over three weekends,” explained Smith. “We had to dig eight inches down to remove the sod and lay the path. We then leveled the pathway and laid out material to prevent plant growth on the trail. The path itself consists of crushed limestone, rocks, and powder that we hauled in by hand. Finally, we compacted all of the materials in order to adhere to the park’s standards.”
Park officials submitted Smith’s name to be considered for a state award and he recently earned the Michigan MParks Community Service Award, receiving the award last Wednesday at the Wint Nature Center at Independence Oaks.

Top photo: Brooke Muzzy tests out one of the benches she helped install at Camp Agawam in Orion Township. Photos provided