(7/10) Newly pinned Eagle Scout Brody Holz, of Fairfield, was recognized this May for his efforts in bringing a recreational GaGa pit to Carrol Valley Park.
The project to construct a GaGa pit was part of Holz’s journey to become an Eagle Scout within Venture Crew 230, a venture scout crew chartered by the Greenmount Volunteer Fire Department.
A GaGa pit is a hexagonal or octagonal wooden pit, about three feet tall and twenty feet wide.
Played similarly to dodge ball except in an enclosed octagon or hexagon arena, gaga players bop a ball with their palms in an attempt to strike the other players’ shins. The game requires a minimum
of two people but can fit multiple people at once in the pit. A versatile game that can accommodate as many people as possible that can fit inside the pit, gaga players can free-for all against each other or form teams.
Holz presented the project to the Carroll Valley Borough Council in March 2021 as a way to connect the community through a simple but engaging game, he said. The council gave unanimous support for the promising plan and fundraising quickly went underway. Pledges to fund the approximately $1,900 project were immediately provided from on-line viewers during Brody’s pitch to the council during their March 2021 Zoom meeting.
With Holz as the leader of the team, the scouts of Venture Crew 230 worked tirelessly together to bring the project to the community.
"We had a great deal of technical experience within the crew to help out and I cannot express my gratitude enough for everyone that came to help," he said.
Completed in November, "this addition will not only serve the community for years to come, but it will be a very good addition to the park in general for everyone to use for a very long time," he said.
Holz has moved up through the BSA ranks for nearly ten years. A lengthy journey to accomplish, Holz credited his fellow scouts and mentors for their support through it all. Holz said his time with the troop holds some of his most cherished memories.
"I am extremely grateful for the experience and the opportunity to learn and grow among my fellow scouts, whom I can now know as some of my closest friends," he said.
More information about Venture Crew 230 can be found by contacting primary advisor Herb Milligan, Sr. at hwmeagle.h8@gmail.com.
