First published in the Dec. 22 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
By Madeleine Berger
Special to the Outlook
Bradley Bell, a Pasadena resident and junior at St. Francis High School, set out a month ago to raise $20,000 for his ambitious Eagle Scout project. This included assembling 100 military-grade, individual first-aid kits for Ukrainian soldiers.
As of this week, the 16-year-old is closing in on his goal, with 90-plus supporters having donated more than $18,600.
Since the 1st grade, Bell has worked his way up from Cub Scout to Boy Scout to a leadership position for Troop 509 NASA/JPL. Always having been an enthusiastic troop member, Bell is excited to reach Eagle Scout status with this impactful final project.
“I wanted to make a project where I can put my plaque on,” Bell said. “All I knew is that I wanted to go big.”
After seeking advice from his parents, friends and scoutmasters, he decided on the idea of assisting the Ukrainian cause, which proved to be no small feat.
The first challenge Bell faced was solidifying a connection to someone with access to Ukraine. After countless dead ends, his father, Michael Bell, received a phone call from Arina Gerasimova, founder of the Brighter Ukraine Foundation. She provided them with a list of the highly specific components of an individual military-grade first-aid kit.
Bradley Bell then needed approval from the Boy Scouts’ Greater Los Angeles Area Council due to his substantial fundraising goal of $20,000. Bell explained that the council suggested lowering it to $10,000, as “this is one of the biggest projects they’ve actually ever seen.” He decided to stay true to his initial goal and launched the online campaign.
A fundamental aspect of an Eagle Scout project, along with servicing a community, is experiencing personal growth in some way. Bell reflected on the meaningful increase in confidence he experienced in setting up the fundraiser.
“Originally, I was pretty nervous — it’s nerve-wracking, having to pick up the phone and talk to a lot of people,” he said. “But I’ve really grown in that aspect.”
With the support of Bell’s family and friends, Troop 509 NASA/JPL, the Brighter Ukraine Foundation and St. Francis’ president, Father Tony Marti, the fundraiser has been an unprecedented success. Bell hopes to hit his $20,000 goal by the end of the year.
Once the fundraising is complete, Bell will purchase the items for the kits — each of which costs $200 — and assemble the kits with the help of 10 fellow scouts. Gerasimova will then fly the kits into a small Polish town, from which she can drive them to the front lines in Ukraine.
With $20,000, Bell can provide 100 Ukrainian soldiers with an individual kit full of life-saving medical products.
“The need in Ukraine is really big right now, and the soldiers really need these first-aid kits,” Bell said.
Anyone interested in learning more or donating to Bell’s fundraiser, which includes a detailed list of the items in each kit, may visit givebutter.com/BradleyIFAK.
