PORT HADLOCK — When Dan Beary walks forward to receive his Eagle Scout medal, he won’t have to look far to see the project he completed to earn it.
He’ll be in it.
Beary, a junior at Chimacum High School, is a member of Boy Scout Troop No. 1480, which meets at Community United Methodist Church in Port Hadlock.
Surrounded by firs in front of the church is the outdoor chapel Beary designed and built with the help of troop members.
“It was a just a little rustic spot in the woods, and he turned into a beautiful outdoor place,” said Tasha Dunlap, who has attended the church for 30 years.
Beary, 17, started building the chapel in October while juggling a busy schedule of sports and schoolwork. He plays on the football team at Chimacum High, is a member of the Knowledge Bowl team and the National Honor Society, and placed first in the Future Business Leaders of America regional competition. He also remained active in troop activities.
“We worked every Saturday except when we went camping,” Beary said.
The chapel was finished by mid-March, in time for the Easter Sunday sunrise service traditionally held outside among the trees. Consisting of 18 long wooden benches facing a raised stage, the chapel seats 110 people, but it’s also used by individuals who want a quiet place to meditate or pray.
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