Boy Scouts build bookcases for base thrift shop Published July 13, 2011 By Staff Sgt. James Bolinger 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- A local Boy Scout troop installed new shelves in April at the Thrift Shop here as part of an Eagle Scout project for the son of the 71st Medical Operations Squadron commander. David Bacon, 17, son of Lt. Col. Thomas Bacon and Troop 27 senior patrol leader, completed his Eagle Scout project over three weekends in April. He and his fellow scouts painted existing shelving and building new shelving for the Thrift Shop, which is run by the Officers' Spouses' Club. It was hard for customers to look past the color of the old shelves, said Barbara Truman, a Thrift Shop volunteer. All they would see is the black color. David also built shelves shallow enough to display books and movies which was something the shop didn't have before. The project cost more than $600 and included $250 in donations, said David, who plans to complete the requirements for Eagle Scout in the fall. Fifteen people labored for 188 hours on the display shelves in the Vance Thrift Shop. "I didn't know it could take so long to paint bookcases," said David. It took three weekends to paint the old shelves and install the new ones, said Dale Huse, Troop 27 scoutmaster and T-6 simulator branch chief here. The Thrift Shop needed more shelves to display more items, and by repainting the old shelves white, David's project made the thrift shop sales area more attractive. The purpose of an Eagle Scout project is to give a young man leadership experience and provide a service to the community, said Huse. This project was a good one because it helped the base and provided a chance for David to gain some experience. David plans to use this experience and his title of Eagle Scout to improve his resume for future job applications.