During the Newton county school system fall break, most kids took it easy, vacationed or slept in and enjoyed relaxing with their friends.

Tyler Ransom, a Life Scout for Troop 222 and senior at Newton High, had other plans. He enlisted the help from 18 volunteers from Troop 222 and Newton High School to assist him with his Eagle Service Project at Turner Lake Complex.

The task that Newton County Recreation Department Director Tommy Hailey assigned to Tyler was to replace the 30 trash barrels in the complex’s parking lots and devise a method to slow down the barrels’ deterioration. Over the course of three full days and 180 total hours of labor, most of which was in the rain, Tyler and his crew built forms for 30 cement platforms, poured the concrete pads, drilled drainage holes in all barrels and spray painted and secured the 30 new trash barrels to their new platforms.

"The new trash barrels are definitely more aesthetically pleasing than the old ones that were over five years old. They really enhance the appearance of the parking lots without compromising the security of maintaining the barrels," Ransom said. "It was a lot of work to accomplish in three days and I’m thankful for being given this opportunity by Mr. Hailey and for all the scouts and friends that came out to support me."

Ransom is a senior at Newton High School.