SUCCESS ON SPECIAL PROJECT A GOOD SIGN FOR BOY SCOUT

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, January 2, 1992                   TAG: 9201030255
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LYNN A. COYLE SOUTH CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
SUCCESS ON SPECIAL PROJECT A GOOD SIGN FOR BOY SCOUT
The Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday time is hectic and stressful for many people. For Joseph M. Wike, an 18-year-old senior at Roanoke Valley Christian Schools, this season was even more so than usual. But it had nothing to do with the holidays.
Wike is a member of Troop 418, Big Lick District of the Blue Ridge Mountains Council of Boy Scouts of America. He wants to become an Eagle Scout. To do so, he had to complete work on 21 merit badges and a special Eagle Scout project by Dec. 18,, his 18th birthday.
The Eagle Scout project must be a service for a non-profit organization and should consist of at least 100 hours of work, Wike said. He chose as his project getting a sign built on the site where the new Church of the Holy Spirit (Episcopal) will be built. He got the idea for the project from his pastor, the Rev. Quigg Lawrence, who is also an Eagle Scout.
The church, part of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, has met at five different locations since its inception 5 1/2 years ago, Lawrence said. It currently meets at North Cross School. The church had found a piece of property on which to build its own building, so Lawrence talked with Wike about doing the sign as his project.
"I was just majorly excited that he was that close to Eagle Scout," Lawrence said. "This was something that would really help us. It's not just something to get the kid through and get his Eagle Scout."
The Church Growth Institute had done a recognition study for the church, Lawrence explained.
The study found that 80 percent of the church's name recognition came from the small real estate-type signs placed in front of North Cross School on Virginia 419. The recommendations stressed the importance of signs in building recognition. Not having its own property that people could identify as the church really hurt, Lawrence said.
Before he could start his project, Wike had to write a proposal to be approved by his Scoutmaster, the troop committee chairman and the district advancement committee. Wike said he raised $103 by holding a bake sale, and the church put up $100.
The church originally was going to pay for the sign, but through the bake sale, a member learned of the project and donated $1,200 to have it made. The sign was designed and built by another Eagle Scout, R. Allen Williamson of Sign Design in Roanoke.
Wike said the money he raised went to buy bushes and mulch, and to feed the Scouts and friends who helped him erect the sign.
There came a time, though, when Wike wondered if his dream of being an Eagle Scout would come true.
The land in question - 3.7 acres at 4850 Grandin Road Extension - was to be purchased by the Terumah Foundation, which would rent it back to the church. The land was owned by 17 heirs. Wike found out a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving that the deal had not gone through. Only 16 of the heirs had approved the sale.
"That means I couldn't get on the land to put the sign on," Wike said. His reaction? "Oh gosh, total stress. It was quite incredible." He had already had the bake sale and arranged to have the sign made.
"I did some serious praying. It was a miracle and the guy signed," the week before Thanksgiving," Wike said. "Until then, I didn't know what I was going to do. I was looking for another project I could do in three weeks, 'cause I was turning 18 in three weeks."
Lawrence said he was really impressed with the mature way that Wike handled the glitch. "His attitude was, `Oh well. I know I did it. I'm just going to leave it in the Lord's hands now. If I don't make Eagle at least I'll know I did it,' " Lawrence said. "I couldn't believe his attitude. If I didn't make it after all that, I would be furious."
Wike, who is the son of Stephen and Michele Wike of Parkway Drive in Roanoke County, explained that even though he met his deadline, he's not an Eagle Scout yet. He still has to submit a write-up of his project with plans and pictures, make a presentation to a district board of review on Jan. 12, and submit a formal application to the Boy Scouts of America. He expects to become an Eagle Scout at a ceremony in February.
"I'm just so proud of Joey because he's really hung in there," Lawrence said. "A lot of people don't realize this, but when you go to apply for a job or to get into UVa, it's like having a gold card. It really opens doors."

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB