Andrew Sevcik created a labyrinth next to the Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church sanctuary building using salvaged stones for his Eagle Scout project.
The Sandy Springs church member is the son of Michelle Smart. He attends Wesleyan School as a ninth-grade student and attended elementary school at Mount Vernon.
Sevcik salvaged the paving stones from an area slated to be demolished to make way for the widening of Johnson Ferry Road. He relocated the stones and placed them in a labyrinth pattern with the help of other Scouts from his Troop 1963, church volunteers, and friends.
Once the labyrinth was completed, the church held an outdoor cemetery to dedicate it. The church congregation attended, and the John Mohr MacKintosh Pipes & Drums performed.
Sevcik knew where he wanted to help and make a lasting impact when it came time to choose his Eagle Service project. With his links to the church and school, he took on the project they suggested.
“The church is the one who suggested the labyrinth pattern given its ties to Christianity. They needed the pavers moved from their existing location and wanted to save them, or they would be lost forever,” he said, “and these pavers are very expensive to replace as not many quarries around the world even mine these stones any longer.”
As he worked on the project during the week and at night, he saw that many people and groups use the church grounds daily. Now they can use the labyrinth too, he said.
The project took approximately 300 hours to complete.
He said Scouting has given him a sense of responsibility, created leadership skills, and given him knowledge he’ll remember for the rest of his life, such as what it means to be a good citizen.
“I’ve learned to fly fish, sail a boat, cook a meal outside, rock climb, bandage a wound, and create a personal budget. I’ve been on campouts, tours of the Federal Reserve Building, and volunteered my time at Solidarity Sandy Springs and Murphy Candler Park,” Sevcik said.
Scouting has brought him loyal friends who also know how to set a goal, work to achieve it, and reach the goal of becoming an Eagle Scout, he said. Helping a friend with their Eagle Scout project all day demonstrates that loyalty.
