Boy Scout collects $7,550 in donations for Applachian area
By Beth Kramer ekramer@stmedianetwork.com January 4, 2013 6:50PM
Carmel High School senior Christopher Quillinan of Buffalo Grove poses for a portrait at the school in Mundelein. Quillinan's eagle scout project was to collect blankets and pajamas that were later donated to a domestic abuse center in the Appalachians. | Curtis Lehmkuhl~Sun-Times Media
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Article Extras
Updated: March 6, 2013 2:15AM
MUNDELEIN — He logged the hours, donated hundreds of dollars worth of items to a very rural area in Appalachia and formally achieved his Eagle Scout rank.
That didn’t stop Christopher “Chris” Quillinan, 17, from continuing his project past its completion date. The Carmel Catholic High School senior and Buffalo Grove resident collected more than $7,550 worth of donations for the Christian Appalachian Project. He brought the blanket and clothing donations in September and underwent a formal Court of Honor ceremony in November for achieving his Eagle Scout project.
But donations kept coming in after his project was completed.
“Some trickled in past my project deadline. I didn’t want to say my project is over and thank you, anyway,” said Chris.
He initially started on his Eagle Scout project in November 2011. He got serious about soliciting donations in February and gave several thousand dollars worth of donations in September. His grandmother and aunt, who have a condo in Florida, passed through a sorting facility for the Christian Appalachian Project en route to visiting Chris in Buffalo Grove. They shared information about the facility, which inspired Chris’ project.
“In the eastern mountain area, many of them don’t have electricity or running water. It’s very rural — worse than anywhere else in the Appalachian range. People think because we’re in America, everyone’s well off, but that’s not the case,” said Chris.
He went door to door to more than 400 homes and placed collection boxes around Buffalo Grove to get donations. In the end, he estimated that he collected $7,7550 worth of hats, scarves, blankets and pajamas. Some of the donations were hand made, he said.
He was one of seven Boy Scouts of Troop 140 to earn his Eagle Scout rank in November.
Donations of about $1,000 worth of blankets and assorted items came in after the completion date. He took the second batch of donations during his winter break.
“I wanted to make an impact. I really wanted to get into someone’s life and help them in the long run,” said Chris.
Chris said he hopes to work for the FBI or CIA. He has applied to several colleges and plans to double major in criminal justice and psychology.
