WAIMEA — Chavis Arafiles, a local Boy Scout, recently completed a project to benefit both visitors and employees at North Hawaii Community Hospital (NHCH).
A member of troop 1027 in Kamuela, he has been in scouting since the age of 7 and is now finishing up the coveted Eagle Scout rank at age 17. A large part of the scout oath is service to others, and one of the requirements of the Eagle Scout rank is to plan and lead others on a service project that benefits a community organization.
Arafiles learned that the hospital was in need of a seating area outside the emergency room that would provide a spot for visitors and employees alike as a peaceful place to take a break.
As a result of his efforts and those of his volunteers over approximately 130 hours, there are now two beautiful benches available in that area.
When asked what he learned after embarking on the project, Arafiles replied, “ln reality, being a leader doesn’t necessarily mean knowing how to do everything, but rather knowing how to get the right people together to make something happen.”
“We thank Chavis for these beautiful benches and for creating a space for nature to nurture our patients, visitors and staff,” Arielle Faith Michael said, NHCH’s holistic services manager.