Thousands benefit from Eagle Scout project

Bishop Emeritus Edmond Carmody blesses Aaron and his project.

Contributed Photo

Eagle Scout Aaron Ruiz orchestrated the making and delivery of thousands of homemade emergency preparedness kits to people all over south Texas. Ruiz is in his 11th year of scouts and suffers from muscular dystrophy. When asked why he wanted to do the project he simply said, “for fun and to help people.”

A member of Boy Scout Troop #87 and a parishioner from St. Philip the Apostle parish, Ruiz chose Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi to be the major recipient of the 2,807 emergency preparedness kits made by his Boy Scout troop, family members and friends of the troop members.

The project, which he planned, organized and directed, earned him the rank of Eagle Scout.

“Up to this point every badge was beyond his physical or mental abilities. We had to apply for modifications under the ADA rules; meaning he’s not going to swim the five miles or hike the 25 miles, but he can roll in a wheelchair,” his mother Beverly Ruiz said.

In order to earn the rank of Eagle Scout a scout has to exhibit leadership. He came up with the idea for the project after attending a Peer-to-Peer Summit where he received a Ziploc bag containing information on emergency preparedness. The idea was cemented in his mind after he attended a Boy Scout summer camp where he received an emergency preparedness badge.

“He understood that he could do it and it had meaning for him,” his mother said.

Aaron Ruiz presents his Eagle Scout project to Catholic Charities Director Linda McKamie, Celia Mendez and Yiyi Dean. Contributed Photo

In early October he presented the idea to the scoutmaster of Troop 87. He then submitted a written proposal to an all-adult committee within Troop 87, which included parents of troop members. Then he, along with his service dog Princess Fergie, approached Linda McKamie, Celia Mendez and Yiyi Dean of Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi and asked them if they would like to be recipients of the project.

After they agreed to be recipients, he went before the board of the South Texas Council of the Boy Scouts of America for review.

After the council approved the project a date was set for Oct. 24, which happened to be the same day as the St. Philip Parish festival. Every year Troop 87 scouts help set up booths for the festival, but this year the festival had to be canceled due to inclement weather, “so Aaron was abundantly blessed and had 21 volunteers to get the kits ready for delivery,” his mother said.

Bishop Emeritus Edmond Carmody stopped by to bless Ruiz and his project at the St. Philip Youth Center.

“We were honored and excited to accept his proposal. It really helped us,” Mendez said. Catholic Charities received a total of 2,027 kits, which also included crayons and a coloring book.

“The kits were distributed to all rural areas, to our Toys for Tots applicants and to all members in our Ministry and Life Enrichment Programs. The last 24 kits included t-shirts, cereals and macaroni and cheese for service projects we have planned for December,” Mendez said.

Additional recipients of the emergency preparedness kits in Corpus Christi were Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Salvation Army and Children’s Medical Center-Dallas.

“Nationally, a small percentage of scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout. With all of his health challenges for Aaron to get the rank of Eagle Scout is a miracle,” his mother said. She then recalled one of Aaron’s early scout leaders who said, “You don’t have to be the best, Aaron just has to do his best.”

Now in 11th grade, Ruiz is exhibiting skills in his school’s FFA club. He won six blue ribbons last year and will soon be raising rabbits.