Phil Voorheis has always been around the swimming pool. So when Voorheis, Troop 189, Boy Scouts of America, was thinking of an idea for his Eagle project, he knew what to do.
A swimmer with the Clarkston High School varsity swim team, he talked to his coach about what the swim program needed.
As a swim instructor with the Clarkston Community Education Aquatics Department, he knows that the full-size Natatorium pool at Clarkston High School can be intimidating to young children.
So they don’t have to cluster around the steps into the pool, he decided to build a new ‘tot-dock? for them.
Constructed with plastic PVC pipe and plexiglass, tot-docks are used when teaching young children to swim. A raised platform with railing, they are submerged in the pool to provide a place for children to stand and something to hold onto when becoming familiar with the water.
‘It helps a lot,? said Voorheis, the son of Steve and Cathy Voorheis of Independence Township. ‘The kids like using the platforms.?
His Eagle project also included the repair of the existing ‘Tot-Dock,? new storage cabinets, and two equipment carts.
For his project, he enlisted the help of 30 volunteers, youth and adult. Together, they worked 195 hours on the project.
Voorheis had no blueprints for the tot-dock, so had to study the existing platform to figure its dimensions and construction.
‘I assigned tasks to small groups so they could specialize and take pride in their work,? he said. ‘Certain people knew what to do with different things.?
One of the adults on his crew was a plumber, familiar with PVC and how to put it together.
‘He just threw the things together,? Voorheis said.
He was a Cub Scout with his brother, Keith, who is also an Eagle Scout, and joined the Boy Scouts in 2001. He most enjoys his troop’s high-adventure trips to places such as Yosemite in California, Old Kia Kima Boy Scout camp in Arkansas, kayaking in Algonquin Provincial Park in New York, and backpacking the Appalachian Trail and King’s Canyon.
In Yosemite, the troop hiked 9-10 miles a day, for a total of about 85 miles of steep, up-and-down trails, including to the top of the Half Dome cliff.
‘I was so tired ? but it was worth it,? he said. ‘We saw a lot of cool stuff.?
While kayaking in Algonquin, he paddled around a bend in the river and came upon a full-grown moose.
‘It was huge,? he said. ‘That was scary.?
A member of Troop 189, he has served as assistant senior patrol leader, patrol leader, historian, senior patrol leader, and troop guide. He has earned 23 merit badges and the Order of the Arrow. The final steps to earn Eagle was to submit an application to the Boy Scout Council and interview with Council representatives. He was presented the rank of Eagle Scout on Nov. 11 at Calvary Lutheran Evangelical Church in Clarkston.
He is also a member and officer of Venture Crew 2245 from the Oakland County Sportsman’s Club, which focuses on pistol shooting. He is presently ranked as a Sharpshooter Bar 7.
He hasn’t been about to practice his shooting lately, though, due to the swim team practice routine. They practice for 17 hours during the week, and have a three-hour practice on Saturdays. During the Christmas break, the team will practice five hours a day.
His career plans include something in forestry, to preserve the outdoors, or the Coast Guard, for national security.
‘I’d like to do something outdoors ? I don’t want to just sit at a desk,? he said.