By Dana Klosner
Eric Homeyer, 16, a junior at Kings Park High School and member of Boy Scout Troop 75 in Kings Park is on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout. His project has been welcomed by fly fisherman throughout the community.
Homeyer, with the help of his father and Caleb Smith State Park Manager Clarence Ware, as well as help from his fellow troop members, has built 8 benches in the water at Caleb Smith State Park on the south side in the Nissequogue River where fisherman fly fish.
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“I got into fly fishing during Boy Scouts,” Homeyer said. “I like it because it’s nice, peaceful and calm. I like going to Caleb Smith State Park. For my Eagle Scout project I wanted to do something with fly fishing.”
Homeyer approached Ware and asked him what he would like done. That’s when the idea of benches in the water came up. It would be a great place for older fly fisherman to rest, sit down and take a break, Homeyer quoted Ware as saying.
The project took one year from approval to completion, including fundraising ;)
projects, receiving permits and building time. In all 260 hours. The actual time it took to build the benches was three days, done over two weekends.
“I got a lot of help from my troop,” Homeyer said. “They helped at the fundraising car wash and they helped with the construction.”
Homeyer held a car wash on May 25th at Kings Park High School. He also received donations from fly fishing clubs throughout the community. In all he raised $2,600. He spent a little over $1,000 on the benches, the rest of the money will be used to stock the river with trout.
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Homeyer had help from his dad and Clarence Ware in the design of the benches. Then he bought wood and built the benches in the water.
“We put in two locust posts,” he said of the construction. “We notched them. Then we put two 2X6’s in the notches which became the support beams in the bench. Then we put two more 2X6’s in and that became the part you sit on. I also put a ruler on the benches so you could measure the size of your fish.”
Homeyer, who has been a Boy Scout for five years, said he has learned a lot about being a leader through this project. He also learned how to follow up with people and what it’s like to supervise a project.
He got involved with Scouting because he thought the activities sounded fun and a lot of his friends were in it.
“I got to experience hikes and see places I wouldn’t normally see,” Homeyer said. “I feel like I became a better leader.”
“This project was a great idea,” said Glen Homeyer, Eric’s dad. “He spent a lot of time working it out with the parks department and the DEC. He had to get permits through the DEC. He was very excited about it and he didn’t drop the ball at any point in time. His mother and I are very proud.”
“He’s an exceptional young man,” said Ware. “I’ve dealt with a lot of young people. He stayed on the case and got the job done.”