Creating a path for an emergency vehicle to navigate along a trail in the Birdsboro Preserve was the goal of an Eagle Scout service project that was recently completed by Canaan Toothman, 17, a senior at Twin Valley High School (TVHS) and a member of Troop 543 Plowville, which meets at Robeson Lutheran Church.

Canaan became familiar with the trail while competing as an award-winning member of the Twin Valley Mountain Biking Team (TVMTB). He was first in Pennsylvania and 15th in the United States Eastern region during his sophomore year at TVHS.

"I am on the mountain biking team, and I ride these trails all the time. There was trail that was already there, but there was a muddy section that when it rained you could not bypass. I added a bypass section of the double track trail," Canaan explained. "It's not a new trail; it's an extension or diversion so that emergency vehicles could safely travel to the top."

Prior to completing the project, Canaan contacted Berks Trail Works, which helps maintain the trails in Berks County. The TVMTB has participated in trail workdays and other events in conjunction with the organization. "I asked them if there was anything they needed done on the trail system," he said, noting the project also had to be approved by the troop representative and the Hawk Mountain Boy Scout Council.

"I had to create a plan for a workday; I came up with ideas on days we could do the work and times and sent the information out to the troop and worked from there," Canaan noted. "I went up and did some pre-work, so the trail was roughly cut out. It was very dense, and when I went, it was raining and I got completely soaked while marking it out. We worked on it for a day and went back later and did the final touches. We had 10 or 15 people, including troop members (helping out), and a few mountain bike members."

The volunteers had to carry tools to the location to complete the work, which was about a mile from the Old Route 82 entrance of Birdsboro's Rustic Park. "It was all done by hand (with) weed whackers and chain saws," Canaan said. "We moved a lot of brush and briars. We cleared the path and blazed a new section of the trail that connected to the other." He added that the path is 4 or 5 feet wide, which would allow an all-terrain vehicle to get to the location if necessary.

Canaan said he could not have completed the project without the help of his family members, fellow Scouts and mountain bikers. "I had a really good group of people," he said, noting the project took 60 hours to complete, which included planning and performing the work and documenting all of the activities. Canaan recently completed his board of review and will soon be planning an Eagle Court of Honor Ceremony.

He said his experience as a Scout helped him to lead the other volunteers and keep them on task and focused. "I had a little bit of experience with leadership positions in the troop, which helped me with my project," he stated, noting that he served as patrol leader, instructor, senior patrol leader, troop guide and assistant patrol leader.

With interests in engineering, woodworking and welding, Canaan plans to enlist in the U.S. Army after graduation and later pursue welding engineering or attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.