PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE THE VILLAGE REPORTER
EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT … Karlee Collins has big plans for Edgerton: she hopes to build Edgerton’s first dog park in order to achieve her Eagle Scout rank. Fundraising is underway — and she is still looking for donations!
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
Seventeen-year-old Karlee Collins of Edgerton is hoping to leave behind something lasting for her community, and earn the rank of Eagle Scout along the way, through an ambitious project that would bring the village its very first dog park.
Karlee, a member of Scouting America Troop 29 and a student at Four County Career Center, is currently working toward completing her Eagle Scout rank before she turns 18 later this year.
Her project, named “The Bark Park,” would create a fully enclosed dog park near the railroad tracks east of Edgerton’s downtown water tower along U.S. 6.
An animal lover herself with three dogs at home, Karlee explained that the idea came from wanting to create something both useful and lasting for the community.
“Edgerton has long valued family, friendship, and outdoor recreation,” she wrote in a donation letter for the project.
“This park will give dogs and their owners a safe place to exercise, socialize, and build stronger neighborhood connections, while also giving travelers passing through town on U.S. 6 a convenient spot to stretch their legs.”
The proposed park would feature a fully fenced five-foot chain-link enclosure measuring roughly 150 feet by 50 feet, though final dimensions remain subject to change.
Plans also include a double-gated entry for added safety, separate areas for small and large dogs, waste stations and potentially a water fountain.
Karlee intentionally plans to keep portions of the interior relatively simple during the initial phase of construction.
While the park would be fully functional, she wants to leave opportunities for other future Eagle Scout candidates to continue expanding her project.
“Keep working hard and don’t stop believing in yourself,” Karlee said, hoping that someday another aspiring Eagle Scout can use her project to reach their goal.
To bring the project to life, Karlee first had to receive approval through multiple channels, including Scouting leadership, the Edgerton Park Board and the Edgerton Village Council. She said the project was warmly received throughout the process, with many community leaders commending her for taking on such a large-scale undertaking.
Currently, the biggest challenge remains fundraising.
Karlee estimates the project will cost $11,000 to $12,000 for total construction, with fencing costs accounting for nearly $9,000 of that total.
She has been actively fundraising through her church and through community outreach efforts, while also seeking donations, sponsorships and in-kind contributions for labor and materials.
Construction timelines remain flexible and are dependent on the fundraising progress. Karlee hopes to begin work this fall in order to complete the project before she turns 18.
Anyone looking to support Karlee’s Bark Park can send checks to the Edgerton Methodist Church, with “Bark Park” in the memo line.
For Karlee Collins, the project is about much more than simply earning a rank. It is about creating something meaningful for Edgerton that families, residents and travelers alike can enjoy for years to come.
