Photo courtesy of Trent White: (Left to right) Alex White stands with fellow Boy Scouts Carter Larson, Ryan Larsen, Nathan Larsen and Aiden White at the opening of his animal adoption center at the Marshall Runnings store on Oct. 19 for his Eagle Scout project, partnered with Tracy Area Animal Rescue.

MARSHALL — Sparked by his passion for animals, Marshall sophomore Alex White created and opened an animal adoption center for his Eagle Scout project. The mobile center is displayed at the Marshall Runnings Store, and is partnered with the Tracy Area Animal Rescue.

“I feel good about it (the project). I just really wanted it to get started, because I want all these animals to not have to be stuck in shelters anymore,” White said. “It’s going to help a lot for them to be out in public, for more people to see them, and then for them to be able to get adopted quicker.”

White officially opened the center on Oct. 19, and it is located at the front of the Runnings store upon walking in.

Scouts must complete a community service project as part of the requirements to earn their Eagle rank, and White decided upon an adoption center with inspiration from his natural care for animals.

“I’ve always loved animals, so I wanted to find a project that had to do with them. My dad helped me out, and we reached out to some adoption centers or animal rescues,” White said. “Tracy, they’ve already done one of these in Luverne, so we just thought it would be a good idea as well. So, we got two kennels donated, (and) we just built the design around those two.”

Community projects are typically done in a field the Scout is passionate about.

“They (Tracy Area Animal Rescue) told us that it (Luverne’s mobile center) boosted the adoption rate for cats by a lot. We just thought it would be a good idea to put one of those in Marshall, too,” White said. “It’s mostly going to be cats, but there is a bigger kennel for like a small dog.”

White also noted that the building of the structure around the kennels took about two days, but the adoption center project in its entirety took a lot of time to plan.

To earn Eagle Scout rank, the highest accolade one can achieve in Boy Scouts, Scouts must collect at least 21 total merit badges through years of work and service that range from various disciplines like physical fitness, first aid, family life, outdoors skills, citizenship, personal responsibility and more, along with their community service project.

Of the 21 badges, 14 must come from a list of Eagle-required merit badges.

White is currently working toward his final badge to earn Eagle rank, who has been in Boy Scouts since the first grade.

“I’m happy, because I think maybe about a year ago, I was really starting to lose interest in scouting,” White said. “So, being able to keep going, push through and be able to get this done, it feels really good.”

Of some favorite memories that stand out to White during his time in Boy Scouts, he noted that several of the summer camps have been fun and his stand-up paddle boarding badge sticks as a memorable accomplishment.

“It was a really fun award,” White said. “We got to learn the different ways of paddling on a stand up paddle board, and ways to save someone if they’ve fallen off.”

Currently, White has earned an impressive total of 43 merit badges and 13 separate awards.

When it comes to sharing advice with others pursuing an Eagle Scout, White affirms the importance of time management.

“I would say to get it done as quick as possible,” White said. “Because, as you get older, the busier you get. It (can get) really hard to find time to do it.”

White’s adoption center at Runnings in Marshall is open to the public for people to stop by and take a look over the animals in need of a new home. White’s center is also open for monetary or supply donations like pet blankets or food, which will all go directly back to the animals.