Ryan Brady Completes His Eagle Scout Project

Ryan Brady stands under a shelter at Happy’s Farm he recently completed for his Eagle Scout project.

By Susan Shinn Turner

Congratulations to Ryan Brady, who will receive his Eagle Scout award in December at St. John’s. Ryan is a member of Troop 443.

For his Eagle Scout project, Ryan built a shelter at Happy’s Farm. Rhonda Roseman offers after-school tutoring there, but it’s so much more. She has basically transformed the property into a mini Western town — with an educational theme.

“It’s a hopping place,” Ann says. “It’s amazing what all she’s done.”

This is not Ryan’s first time to collaborate with Rhonda. Two years ago, the two worked together to create a display about the Normandy Invasion. Ryan wrote a narrative for that project.

The new shelter is across from a miniature golf area that’s being built. Rhonda is having a labyrinth put in behind the shelter, so it will get lots of use. Ryan also helped build a fire pit with granite from Happy’s Lake.

“This young man has worked hard,” Rhonda says. “It’s led from one project to another. He has not only integrated himself but others to develop that pride. These projects keep me going.”

Rhonda says it’s a diversion from losing her husband in January 2020 to pancreatic cancer.

Ryan also completed a fire pit next to the shelter using granite repurposed from Happy’s Lake.

The shelter, she says, is a shady spot for guests to sit and reminisce.

“I modeled the shelter off another one on-site,” he says, “but I added a back wall and a concrete floor.”

Six Adirondack chairs were repurposed from Happy’s Lake, and each have a seal of the services.

On the wall is a list of donors. Quite a few are St. John’s members.

“I sent out donation packets to everyone,” Ryan says. “Everything over and above the project cost went to Happy’s Farms. I didn’t do everything, but I was in charge.”

Ryan and his fellow Scouts worked on the project every Saturday beginning in November.

“To see it now, based on what it was, is a complete transformation,” he says.

Ryan, 16, is a junior at East Rowan High School, where he is a member of the varsity tennis team. He is the son of Eric and Ann Brady and the grandson and Jim and Elizabeth Brady. His older sister, Kristen, will be 21 this month. She’s a student at Western Carolina University.