When it came time for Ben Ferreira to pick his Eagle Scout project, the Grange Hall in Rochester was a natural choice.

“They do a lot for us. They don’t charge us to use the facilities, even in the winter when we’re using their oil to heat the building,” said Ferreira. “I wanted to give back to them as a thank you for everything they’ve done.”

The 17-year-old, a Rochester native and senior at Bristol County Agricultural High School, has been in the Boy Scouts since he was a Tenderfoot. In October, Ferreira began working on landscaping the Grange, the final major project he will do as a scout.

Ferreira called in help from his uncle Rob Ferreira, owner of Infinity Landscape Construction, who donated his time and services to create a driveway for the Grange. He also contacted local companies for donations and got 26 yards of gravel, stones and shrubs for the flowerbed, and a new step for the entrance.

Ferreira said, “It’s a very extensive Eagle project. I wanted to do something that involved the skills that I learned working for my uncle and at Bristol Aggie. This is the stuff I like to do.”

While Ferreira got support from the local community, he and his fellow Scouts from Troop 31 implemented much of the project. On Saturday, the group had its final work day at the Grange.

“He’s really taken the bull by the horns,” said Troop leader Mike Blanchard. “I’m proud of him.”

While Ferreira has put in plenty of elbow grease into the project, Blanchard said, “He’s not doing all the work, he’s delegating and that’s really what the Eagle project is all about. It is to demonstrate the leadership skills that you’ve learned during your tenure in Scouts.”

Ferreira has a few final touches to put on the project before he can send in his application for Eagle Scout status.

Next fall he plans to go to Universal Technical Institute in Norwood to study automotive and diesel technology.