MBHS student earns Eagle Scout rank with Camp Tranquility project

Peter Lee Pitman — a member of Troop 320 at Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church — earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Vulcan District Eagle Board in June.

For his Eagle Scout project, Pitman built a natural stone wall around the flagpole atop Camp Tranquility at Oak Mountain State Park.

“The camp manager wanted a natural stone wall around the flagpole to dress it up and make a nice place for ceremonies and, hopefully, inspire any viewers,’ Pitman said.

Building the wall was a “massive effort” that took about four months, including some weekends, Pitman said.

Fortunately, he had some assistance. In addition to Troop 320, Troop 74 of Gardendale and Troop 100 of Tuscaloosa helped out.

Twenty-one scouts, six scout adults and one other adult assisted in 340 hours of labor, Pitman said.

Much of the stone for the project was purchased, while other pieces were found along the hiking trails, he said.

In addition to building the wall, Pitman and the others backfilled with gravel and stone pavers up towards the flagpole.

The toughest part of the project “was being able to match each volunteer’s proficiencies with the right task at hand,” Pitman said.

But it’s rewarding to look back at the work they accomplished, he said.

“Meeting new friends, too, adds to the experience,” he said.

It’s also rewarding to become an Eagle Scout, Pitman said.

“The journey is its own reward,” he said. “Walking the path up towards this rank is something I strongly encourage future generations to do. It looks like a daunting task, but it’s a lifetime of adventure and fun that one could miss out on.”

A rising senior at Mountain Brook High School, Pitman lives in Overton Village.

Pitman began scouting in 2011 as a Cub Scout at Den 10, his father, Terry Pitman, said.