Steve Harmic
Nov 2, 2022
Danny Redding, 15, of Curwensville, recently donated an activity cart that he completed as his Eagle Scout project to the Adult Day Center in Clearfield. Center Coordinator Julie Fenton, right, accepted the gift, which will provide stimulating activities for seniors who spend time at the center.
CLEARFIELD, Pa. – A generous and community-minded young Curwensville man is helping to improve the daily lives of area seniors with his Eagle Scout project. At just 15 years old, Danny Redding has fulfilled all requirements to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement rank available in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). His work toward this goal culminated in the completion of a mandatory service project. For this, Danny chose to create an activity cart to donate to the Adult Day Center in Clearfield.
The Mature Resources Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging opened the Adult Day Center in April of 2022. The program provides care during the day to older adults in need of support services. This allows their family members or primary caregivers to work, run errands, or take care of household tasks while knowing their loved one is in good hands. The consumers play games together, complete puzzles, organize items, and more. They are provided lunch, and all dine together, enjoying conversation and the opportunity to socialize.
Because this environment is especially therapeutic for individuals living with dementia and other cognitive impairments, Danny decided to create something that would contribute to the care of those very people. The activity cart he created is loaded with puzzles, sticker books, art supplies, nail files and nail polish, games, and more. Rummage bins full of items the user can discover, like nuts and bolts, and a holiday bin full of Christmas ornaments help to stimulate the mind. Additionally, a fidget blanket Danny included allows the user to get cozy while occupying their hands and mind with gadgets attached to the blanket.
“I wanted to do it, not only because it benefits the community, but because I wanted to do something meaningful to me,” Danny said. "And this is important to me, to give the adults with different cognitive abilities something to look forward to every day.”
Adult Day Coordinator Julie Fenton said, “Danny was very thoughtful in putting the activities together on this cart. Everything he included provides positive stimulation for consumers with different cognitive abilities. This type of stimulation is incredibly helpful for people with dementia and related conditions, as it occupies the mind and creates a sense of calm. The idea to put all of these on a mobile cart also makes it easy to move all of the activities around the center to wherever a consumer is comfortable using them.”
Danny, who entered the Boy Scouts in second grade, learned of the Adult Day Center through his mother, Kelly Redding, an occupational therapist who used to work with center coordinator Fenton at a nursing home. He explained the process of how he chose the activities he provided, and how he decided upon this project to complete his Eagle Scout requirement, saying, “The holiday bin is filled with Christmas ornaments and other items that might evoke a memory. There are memory games and books that help them focus. I’ve been in a nursing home before, and the environment was so dull. The Adult Day Center is definitely a more welcoming environment, and I wanted to add to that and give the people there even more to look forward to, it’s such a great thing to support.”
Kelly said, “My grandmother had Alzheimer’s for 12 years, and I just think what a great resource this center would have been for her. I am very, very proud of Danny for supporting the center and for his accomplishments. He’s only 15, and I’m blown away that he was able to complete this, especially with all of the other activities he has going on.”
In addition to his involvement in the BSA, the 10th grader at Curwensville Junior, Senior High School participates in choir and musical productions, is a member of student council, and plays snare drum in the marching band. Yet, he still found time to support the Adult Day Center with his gift, and even made some new friends along the way.
“We went to the center, and we got to just hang out and visit with the people there. That day was so fun,” Danny said of meeting with the clients at the Adult Day Center. “I got to connect with people that I wouldn’t necessarily have had the chance to connect with otherwise. It was a great experience.”
According to the BSA only four percent of scouts have attained the rank of Eagle Scout. Other requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges, and completing a lengthy review process before the age of 18, which Danny finished well ahead of schedule. His career interests are as wide-ranging as his extracurricular activities. Both architecture and bio-medical engineering are fields he’s interested in studying when he enters college.
The Adult Day Center is located at 1924 Daisy Street Extension (rear) Suite B, in Clearfield. For more information, call 814-765-2696, extension 311.
For more information on all of the services provided by the Mature Resources Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, visit http://www.matureresources.life/