Hello, my name is Jacob Brandon, and I am honored to have contributed to this important monument to our veterans in Hillsdale County. I was born in T’ver, Russia in 2002 and then was adopted by James and Wendi Brandon. They brought my younger sister Miranda and me to Hillsdale in 2004, and we have lived here together ever since, joined in 2006 by my youngest sibling, Ariel. As a child, I always liked to run, play baseball, and dance. I started playing baseball when I was 4 and continued playing through my sophomore year of high school. In middle school, I started doing cross country and decided I liked it and continued doing it throughout my entire high school career. I first saw my sister Miranda dance in 2009, and that made me want to try it myself. I danced at Studio 55 in Hillsdale for ten years, and really enjoyed my time there.
I joined Cub Scouts when I was in first grade, and I have stuck with scouting ever since because it is something that I enjoyed doing. As I had progressed in Boy Scouts through the ranks, I decided I wanted to become an Eagle Scout. I knew that was the highest rank, and it is something that not many people achieve. I wanted to be one of those few people who did. Before I started, I knew it was going to be difficult, but I also thought how wonderful it would be to contribute to the community. I volunteered time on Dominick Balser’s Eagle Scout Project, which was the creation of this monument that you see before you. When that was completed, I knew that the American Legion was interested in adding to Dominick’s Veteran of the Year Memorial, and this is when I interviewed for the opportunity to develop the next phase of the project.
The centerpiece of this project is the computer kiosk, and the idea was to provide biographical and service information about the Veterans of the Year, as well as the history of this project. My team and I gathered this information through hours of research online and at the Mitchell Research Center. We also sent direct mailings to veterans and their families. In some cases, we conducted one-on-one interviews with past veteran of the year recipients. We added landscaping to the project, and arranged for the electrical feed to this monument, which powers the computer and allows the monument to be illuminated at night.
This Eagle Project fits into the overall Veterans of the Year Monument project. This project will continue to develop and grow after my contributions. This kiosk will allow for that growth in the future.
I need to thank my extensive team who have put in hundreds (if not thousands) of volunteer hours to help this project become a reality. Thank you to:
· All of the Hillsdale County Veterans of the Year and their families. Thank you for your great service to our country and community. Everything here has been done in your honor.
· Steve Tulloch and Jonesville American Legion Post 195, who have been the inspiration and driving force for this monument. Jonesville American Legion Post 195 also took the lead in fundraising for this project, and the results have been amazing.
· Walter Drake was also there at the very beginning, and even though we lost him during this project, he has continued to be an inspiration. We work to bring his work on this project to fruition.
· Troy Balser of Cambria Tool has been my closest advisor, taskmaster, and friend during this project, and I could not have done this without him. He has put in so many hours of research and work into this project. Troy’s wife Shelia and son Dominick have also helped out, and I appreciate their contributions.
· Scoutmaster Nick Wilson and Deb Hollister from Troop 247 have put a lot of effort into this project, helping to find volunteers and complete my paperwork. They have also helped me so much in my development as a scout over the years. I also want to thank Chad Wolfe and Brad Marsh, both of whom served as scoutmasters when I was younger, and helped to positively shape my experience as a scout.
· Special thanks to Mark Kirkendall, the Eagle Advancement Chairman for the Chief Lenape District, for his guidance and encouragement as I worked on this project.
· Eric Macy’s computer and graphic design expertise was essential to this project, and I was so lucky to have him as a resource and volunteer.
· My fellow scouts in Troop 247 put in a lot of hours for both research and landscaping, and I could not have finished this project without their hard work. In particular, I want to acknowledge Tristen Cox and Jacob Rickwalt, both of whom went above and beyond to put in many extra hours towards this project.
· My grandmother, Pam Tippner, who really helped me with research at Mitchell Research Center, especially at the very beginning and also near the end of the project.
· The staff of Mitchell Research Center was kind and accommodating for this project, even on the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this project would not exist without their carefully accumulated archives about the people and history of Hillsdale County.
· Gary Noblit has touched this project in many ways, and his detailed knowledge of local veterans really helped to guide our research in the right directions.
· Thanks to my mentors, who knew me well enough to recommend me for my Eagle rank:
Hillsdale College Theatre Professor Michael Beyer
Jonesville HS Science Teacher Austin Lewandowski
Hillsdale First Presbyterian Church Pastors Scott Cress (current) and
Patti Beckman (retired)
Aaron Freese of Double A Lawnscaping and Supply
· A number of local businesses have contributed time, materials, and talents to this project. Sincere thanks to Cambria Tool, Livonia Tool, SabreTech, Acme Mills, Precision Metal Art, Motor City Fabrication, and NEFCO. Thank you for your investment in this project.
· Finally, thanks to my family for sticking with me through this long process. My mom really gave me the push to get started on this project, my dad has volunteered a lot of time to help me finish, and my sisters helped me with merit badge projects.
This Eagle Scout Project has been an important endeavor for my team and me. My hope is to bring attention to the Veterans of the Year recipients; and through them, to highlight the important roles of all veterans from Hillsdale County. The Veterans of the Year have given so much to our community, and I am so glad to share their lives and accomplishments with you through this project.