by Rebecca E. Tonn

Franktown Boy Scout Eric Anderson, age 16, hatched a plan to obtain the rank of Eagle Scout, with a service project that benefited wounded Soldiers at Fort Carson's Evans Army Community Hospital.

The plan worked - he was recently promoted to Eagle Scout. But more importantly, he fulfilled his mission of "doing a project that would help and support the troops."

After his dad, Ken Anderson, heard about "Soldiers' Angels" from talk radio, Eric organized a plan to purchase 100 backpacks and fill them with supplies for wounded Soldiers.

Soldiers' Angels is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to: "provide aid and comfort to the military and its families and make sure no Soldier feels unloved," according to its Web site: www.soldiersangels.org.

Soldiers' Angels gave him a list of requirements for sizes of clothing and types of items for the backpacks. Some of the 16 items included were: T-shirts, pajama bottoms, socks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, nail clippers, blankets and phone cards. All items, including the backpacks, were new.

Eric rallied many of his leadership skills as he recruited other Boy Scouts from Troop 469 to assist him with fundraising in the community, purchasing the products, and putting the items, with correct sizes, into the backpacks. He felt proud that he was able to do something for wounded Soldiers.

Earning 24 merit badges, including environmental science, personal management and three citizenship badges, has sharpened Eric's leadership, organization, survival and people skills. He especially enjoyed teaching first aid, knot tying and camping skills to Cub Scouts. He plans to pursue a career in the military or law enforcement, so his visit to Fort Carson, to deliver the backpacks, was especially interesting.

"We (Boy Scouts) did a collection day in front of Wal-Mart to get more donations," Eric said. Donations collected for the project totaled $1,986. And he exceeded his goal, delivering 102 backpacks to Evans this spring, where Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis L. Wilken presented Eric with a commander's coin.

Enclosed with each backpack was a card with an eagle on the front and these words inside: "Were it not for the brave, there would be no Land of the Free. Thank you for your service."

Rick Vanhoven, patient movement transfer coordinator at Evans, said each wounded Soldier admitted to the hospital receives one of Eric's donated backpacks.

"Some of the Soldiers have no extra clothes when they arrive. They really appreciate these backpacks," Vanhofen said.

Eric was pleased with the success of his project and has a message for all servicemembers: "Thank you for serving our country."