Legion post helps youth become first female Eagle Scout in Union County, Ohio

Libby Greenbaum was one of thousands of girls to join Scouts BSA in February 2019 when the program opened to girls. She helped found the all-female Troop 214 in Crofton, Md., as well as the all-female Troop 777 in Marysville, Ohio, where she and her family currently reside after moving to the area from Maryland in the summer of 2019 following her father’s retirement from the U.S. Air Force. Since her time in Scouting, 17-year-old Libby has earned 57 merit badges and 11 awards. And she recently received Scout BSA’s highest rank – Eagle Scout.  

“I’m thankful that Scouting opened the program to allows girls to have their own troops. Without that none of this would have been possible,” Libby said. “It is a great honor to be able to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. I fell in love with this program, the leaders and the girls, and that really is what got me to stick through the whole program and get all the way to Eagle. It’s been an amazing journey.”

For her Eagle Scout project, Libby wanted to give back to a community that she was familiar with – veterans. So her father, Lanny, encouraged her to speak with the local American Legion Post 79. Post Commander Mel Cantrell met with Libby in April 2021 and identified that the west side entrance porch of the post home, which faces the parking lot, needed improvement. It’s the entrance most people walk through but it didn’t protect from the outdoor elements and wasn’t aesthetically appealing. The porch was covered with a ripped canvas awning and thin, broken plexiglass. Libby used SketchUp software to create her design for the porch, which was one that Cantrell “absolutely loved.”

Pressure treated wood was attached to the existing structure to enclose the porch, new and thicker plexiglass windows were installed, and a new white lattice replaced the old, faded one below the porch along with new rocks. Inside the post home was deep cleaned and the rose garden was pruned for easier maintenance. Forty-nine volunteers contributed 479 hours to complete the project last November.

“It was really a labor of love,” Cantrell said. “I think it came out absolutely wonderful; it has been a great addition to our porch. Honestly, I couldn’t be happier with it.”

Lanny, who helped with the project, said he was impressed with Libby’s ability to successfully create a plan, research it, adjust along the way, and handle challenges.

“Opportunities like that, with Libby’s leadership at other Scouting events and things of that nature, are going to prepare her for the future and truly help her be a leader moving forward,” he said. “We are extremely proud of her.”

Libby and her father enjoy woodworking projects together, which is a reason why she went with 2x6 woods slats for the porch walls. Out of wood she has also made a hexagon-shaped shelf, and bird and bat houses for Scouting merit badges.  

Heather, Libby’s mother, said she has “enjoyed seeing Libby grow as a person in the Scouting program” through the youth-led model that gives girls “a safe place to learn” leadership.

On May 15, Libby will receive her Eagle Scout merit in a ceremony at American Legion Post 79 where attendees will walk through the newly constructed porch “that we built,” Libby said. “I’m really thankful for this program, and for both of my troops for being so supportive of me.

“I’ve made some of my best friends, both boys and girls, (through Scouting). We just have that same kind of bond. We’re all Scouts, we’re all striving to learn these really amazing leadership skills together to better ourselves and to better the community. I love the Scouting program; I love that I’m able to be a part of this.”

Libby hopes to be a mentor for her fellow Scouts looking to achieve Eagle Scout rank, as well as further develop her leadership skills through Scouting and her involvement with American Heritage Girls, a faith-based Scouting-like program for girls.

“Scouting is just such an amazing program that has really helped my life. I’ve grown so much as a leader and as a citizen, and I really think it’s changed my life.”