In pursuit of Eagle Scout rank

Cash Collins recently built and installed three Free Little Library kiosks as part of his quest to attain the rank of Eagle Scout. [Submitted photo]

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Posted August 4, 2025 | By Susan Smiley-Height, [email protected]

Cash Collins is on a quest to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor for members of Scouting America. In addition to earning merit badges along the way, the scout also must organize and complete a project of service to the community.

Cash, 18, a senior at Forest High School, recently built and installed three Free Little Library kiosks in Tom’s Park, Wyomina Park and Clyatt Park in Ocala. He completed the project in cooperation with the city of Ocala’s Recreation and Parks Department and with the help of carpenter Frank Girod.

Cash said he has been involved in scouting since he was in the second grade.

“I started in Cub scouts at my church because my dad was the Cubmaster, and from there I just progressed through scouting with Troop 72. My favorite parts have been hanging around with all of the kids in scouting and getting to do a whole bunch of fun things like going on campouts or making our own fun. The group is really dynamic, which is something that I love,” he said.

“I decided on this project because there’s a Free Little Library at Walker Park, which is close to my house. Anytime I passed it, I always took note of its presence and when it came time for me to decide my project, I was already speaking with the city and they gave me the option to construct a few of those. From there, it was an easy decision, and I got to do what I wanted to do,” he added.

In order to build and stock the Free Little Library kiosks, Cash got some of the materials from Lowe’s and donations from other sources. He took to social media to make a plea for books with which to stock each little library.

“The books were donated from people in my neighborhood. All I had to do for that was post on Facebook explaining what I was doing and ask for the books. I set up a drop off box outside of my house and by the third day of having the post up it was already full,” he explained.

“I had help from Frank Girod, a very skilled carpenter who really walked with me throughout the whole project, providing some vital insight on the way things should be done. Frank was a great mentor, and he taught me a lot about not only woodworking, but also about life,” Cash added.

“Cash Collins is a dependable and reliable young man. He completed the little libraries and installed them within the time frame that he set. The libraries turned out nice, added value to the parks, and were being used right away. We appreciate the hard work that went to making them,” said the city’s Parks Operation Supervisor Jeff Kerley.

In 2023, Cash’s older brother, Grayson Collins, completed his Eagle Scout by refurbishing the World War I Commemorative Fountain inside Tuscawilla Park.

The boy’s father, Chuck Collins, said his own involvement as a Boy Scout was short lived.

“I was in long enough to build a single Pinewood Derby car that we still have and display along with Cash’s and Grayson’s cars,” he noted.

He is glad, however, that his sons have been active scouts for many years.

“I think it important young men receive instruction and guidance from men other than their father. Sometimes, especially with teenagers, coaching and instruction from other adults is better received by the young person and scouting affords this opportunity. Scouting also presents opportunities for teamwork, cooperation, shared experiences and leadership perhaps not readily available in the everyday life of a young man. These are attributes of good citizens, and the world needs more good productive citizens,” he said.

As for Cash’s recent accomplishment, Chuck said, “We are so very proud of him. The Eagle Project is one of the final steps as a Boy Scout and only 4% reach the goal of attaining the Eagle Scout rank…it is the culmination of many years of faithful work. He started as a Cub Scout when he was 8 and has stuck with it for the last 10 years. We are very proud that he has continued in scouting through the years. The presence of supportive parents, and in Cash’s case, especially his mother, helped continue his advancement. Mary Anne was always in the background making sure he completed this merit badge or that rank advancement.”

“I couldn’t be more proud,” Mary Anne Collins said. “Seeing my son take the initiative to build and provide the little libraries for the community shows not just his ability but his heart as well. It’s one thing to actually follow through with an idea and to build with your own hands, and to give back like that really speaks to his character. He is making reading accessible and leaving a positive mark in his community. I admire that so much.”

“Watching both of my sons grow through Scouting has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me as their parent,” she continued. “Scouting has given them opportunities to develop leadership, resilience and a deep respect for service and the outdoors. Scouting has shaped them into young men of character, and I have seen firsthand how they’ve stepped up to challenges, supported their communities and become role models for others. Their involvement hasn’t just made me proud, it’s given me hope for the kind of thoughtful, respectful and responsible men they are becoming.”

Following the completion of all the required elements, each Eagle Scout candidate undergoes a review process that may lead to a Court of Honor and the official bestowal of the rank.

As for the future, Cash said he plans “to attend either Penn State or the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and study nuclear engineering, spend a bit of my time up there and then find out where my life takes me.”

To learn more, go to scouting.org