Arrol Oxford’s Eagle Scout project was initially a modest idea to plant a few trees at Somers Beach State Park, but after the community showed support for upgrades at the park, the project has since taken on a life of its own.

Oxford, 17, has spent the last year planning, fundraising and preparing to install three picnic tables, plant 25 native trees and bushes, and design a pollinator garden to create a space where he envisions families will be able to sit in the shade and picnic by the lake.  

“I was just wondering what the [state parks] needed help with,” said Oxford, who watched his older brother complete a project at Lone Pine State Park last year. “I was really down to do anything that would help the community. That’s the focus of Eagle Scout projects, is really anything that’s going to benefit the community you’re in. My project gives people a place to sit, gives some shade. I feel like it’s actually going to be used fairly often because people go down there quite a bit. It’s a great place for families.” 

The project got off to a great start when Oxford went to Sliters Lumber and Building Supply in Somers to inquire about donations for the project. The first person he talked to there was Andrea Sliter Goudge, the granddaughter of the company’s founder, Everit L. Sliter.  

Oxford said that as he explained his project to Goudge, she quickly became emotional. Her grandfather had first purchased the 106 acres that Somers Beach State Park is on in the 1930s. The family made its sliver of shoreline accessible to the public for swimming and picnicking, and as the years went on, intended to set aside the land to protect it for future generations. In 2021, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks acquired the property and now operate it as a state park.  

Sliters donated everything on Oxford’s list and more – a generous contribution that he wasn’t expecting. As he continued to fundraise, the scope of the project grew as others became excited about the idea.  

The 25 native trees and shrubs will include serviceberries, black hawthorn, ponderosa pine, Rocky Mountain juniper, quaking aspen and chokecherries. Oxford plans to scatter the trees in an organic way, not planting them in a straight line.  

The three picnic tables will be 10 feet long and constructed from wood 3 inches thick. Two of the picnic tables will be ADA accessible, and Oxford has spent much of his summer staining the sturdy planks.  

Oxford first joined Scouting America, the organization previously called Boy Scouts, more than a decade ago when he was 7 years old, starting with Cub Scouts. He is part of Troop No. 1933, which was chartered by the Rotary Club of Kalispell more than 50 years ago.  

In pursuit of the rank of Eagle Scout, Oxford has earned 21 merit badges, including some which are specifically required for Eagle Scouts, including first-aid, cooking and citizenship.  

Eagle Scout candidates must also complete an Eagle Scout project. While there are few guidelines for what the project must be, the projects are meant to benefit the community and challenge scouts to take on leadership roles. 

Only 4% of scouts attain the eagle rank during their careers.  

Through his project, Oxford said he’s learned a lot about fundraising and project management. He realized that strong communication with adults and staying on top of his phone calls and emails were all necessary to inspire community members to support his project. In planning volunteer workdays, he’s gotten advice from project managers to create teams and divide tasks in the most efficient way possible.  

“It's preparing you for being an adult and being able to lead people and being able to do things on your own and not have to rely on people so much. You're able to make good decisions by yourself and things like that,” Oxford said.  

And those are skills that Oxford has been able to pass on to the next generation. He worked at Scouting Montana’s camp on Flathead Lake’s Melita Island for four years, mentoring younger scouts. An avid skateboarder and snowboarder, Oxford has volunteered with skateboarding camps and the A-Rob Plant a Seed project, teaching underprivileged children how to snowboard at Whitefish Mountain Resort.  

The 17-year-old is homeschooled but takes welding classes at Flathead Valley Community College, which fills much of his spare time.  

Oxford is hosting a volunteer workday at Somers Beach State Park on Sept. 19 at 8 a.m. to plant the trees and install the picnic tables. People interested in joining the work party or donating to the project can reach Oxford at [email protected].  

Reporter Elsa Ericksen can be reached at 406-758-4459 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.

    Canada geese fly along the shoreline of Flathead Lake at Somers Beach State Park on Tuesday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider