"The residents of the Mustard Seed were thrilled with the final result," says Eagle Scout Will Keeler
Last year, 14 year-old Will Keeler contacted our office to tell us that he was working on his Eagle Scout project. His vision was to create something special for the residents at the Mustard Seed, a group home that provides a loving environment for people with developmental disabilities. Residents at the Mustard Seed enjoy making music, and their Bells of Faith Handbell Choir is a testament to their musical talent and abilities. Will decided it would be special to celebrate their love of music for his Eagle Scout project.
Eagle Scout Will Keeler stands proudly next to his Music Wall at the Mustard Seed.
Having visited a Learning Structures community-built playground in Jackson, MI, Will was especially interested in the Music Wall structure. He was confident that the residents at the Mustard Seed would enjoy an outdoor element that creates chime-like music using 8 notes. Despite company policies to not share designs of our play structures (this is purely for safety and liability) the staff was eager to make an exception for Will’s special project.
Bear in mind, our Music Wall structure is not a simple, do-it-yourself project. Hundreds of details are included in the design for the Music Wall, the tool list includes 20 items, and complex lumber cutting and measuring is needed to complete the project successfully. Our staff asked each other – can Will do it? As an aside, during a community-built playground project, 4 volunteers are typically assigned to build a Music Wall structure, and it takes a couple of days to complete! We knew Will had his work cut out for him.
This week we learned that Will’s Eagle Scout Music Wall project was a complete success. He worked hard to get his project approved. He fundraised the money to purchase materials for the project. And finally, he worked diligently to build a beautiful Music Wall for the residents of the Mustard Seed. Will did much more than earn his Eagle Scout standing; he left behind a meaningful, lasting resource for the Mustard Seed for years to come. Way to go, Will!!
Sweet! I love the colorful chimes; they are so much more attractive than the plastic panel equipment many companies offer.
A suggestion for Will to get the most sound possible: it’s a more problematic layout, but you will get the best sound from each chime tube when it is struck at the center of its length. So that means that both the top and bottom mounting boards would be installed at an angle.
That’s a very clever striking system too! You could change the length of the striker so that it is placed at the center of the tube (shorter as they get higher) and use the frame you have now.
Best wishes to All,
Bond
Thanks for your note, Bond. High praise indeed, coming from the KING of outdoor musical play components! http://www.soundplay.com
Every one of these Music Walls end up a little differently, depending on the group of volunteers who build it. As they say in the community-built world, the perfection is in the imperfection. =)