At just 15 years old, Evie Bunz is poised to earn the rank of Eagle Scout—Scouting America’s highest rank and an accomplishment many scouts do not achieve until they are 17 or 18. A rising sophomore at Granby Memorial High School and a member of Troop 76G in Simsbury, Evie chose to dedicate her Eagle Scout service project to the Granby Land Trust, replacing an aging bridge on the trust’s Godard Preserve.
For Evie, the project was about much more than building a bridge. “I’ve lived in Granby my whole life,” says Evie. “Granby is central to who I am as a person. This community is so great.”
Like every Eagle Scout service project, the bridge replacement required much more than construction. Evie was responsible for planning every aspect of the effort—designing the bridge, sourcing materials, recruiting volunteers, coordinating schedules, managing logistics and leading the work on site.
She contacted local lumberyards to compare prices and secured generous support from Sanford and Hawley, Inc., a building materials supplier and lumberyard, which donated the bridge decking and provided a significant discount on additional materials.
The work was completed over three days. Before beginning construction, Evie built a full-scale mock-up of the bridge in her backyard to test the design and make sure the structure would be stable. The team then removed the old bridge and its footings, prepared the site and, on the final day, transported the new materials down the trail and constructed the replacement bridge.
Evie brought together an impressive team of volunteers, including fellow scouts from Troop 76G, friends from school, her parents, her friends’ parents and her scoutmaster.
Lowell Kahn, longtime GLT board member and past owner of Hartland Building and Restoration, who spent 40 years managing large bridge projects across the Northeast, oversaw the project on behalf of the GLT and provided invaluable guidance to Evie throughout the process. “Working with Mr. Kahn was a great opportunity,” Evie said. “He was really engaged and brought a perspective I wouldn’t have had.”
Leading a large volunteer crew also taught Evie lessons that extended well beyond construction. “I wouldn’t have thought I had to be so specific,” said Evie. “I learned a lot about how to communicate with people. When you manage it properly, it’s not that hard. And everybody I worked with was fantastic.”
That ability to set ambitious goals and follow through has characterized Evie’s scouting journey from the beginning. She has been involved in scouting since age seven and was part of the very first group of girls to join Pack 325 in Granby after Scouting America opened Cub Scouts to girls. Today, she is a member of Troop 76G, which includes 25 young women.
To obtain the rank of Eagle Scout, one must earn at least 21 merit badges and participate in a range of leadership, campaign and service activities. Evie has already earned her 21 badges and has participated in many service activities including beach cleanups, the Farmington River Watershed Cleanup, Civil War monument restoration and community events. She is also a member of the Order of the Arrow, Scouting America’s national honor society.
Outside of scouting, Evie keeps an equally busy schedule. She plays tennis and swims competitively, sings with the Chamber Singers, performs in the Drama Club, plays both violin and guitar, and is active at Granby Congregational Church.
Evie’s mother, Megan Bunz, says her daughter’s determination has always stood out. “Evie’s level of commitment, focus and tenacity is not something you see broadly. She’s someone who can set a goal and work to get where she needs to be. To succeed in life, you have to be able to think in this complex web, and the Eagle Scout process does a really good job of teaching you to do that.”
Although Evie hopes to pursue a career in law—drawn by her strengths in reading, writing and communication—she also discovered something unexpected while completing her bridge project. “I’m not a math person,” she admitted with a laugh, “but it was cool to figure out how to do the math-related things and realize that I could.”
The Granby Land Trust is deeply grateful to Evie, her volunteers and everyone who helped make this project possible. The new bridge will serve hikers and visitors for years to come while standing as a lasting reminder of what thoughtful planning, leadership and community collaboration can accomplish.
After the project was complete, Evie’s mother shared her appreciation: “Everyone involved with the Granby Land Trust was approachable and made this project attainable, and I cannot sing your praises enough. Thank you for helping her take this on.”
Congratulations, Evie, on this remarkable achievement—and thank you for leaving a lasting gift for the Granby community.